*The Ogun State Waste Management Authority shuts Yibao Industrial Limited and Ronchang Industrial Park, for allegedly contravening the provisions in Section 17 of the Ogun State Waste Management Law 2020

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

For their apparent refusal to engage accredited waste collectors to properly manage their wastes in the localities, the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) has shut two Chinese companies for allegedly contravening the environmental laws of the state.

The waste management regulatory agency Sunday, September 1, 2024, stated disclosed it took the action after several warnings to the companies without positive results.

The government listed the affected firms as Yibao Industrial Limited, located in Bara Village along the Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway, and Ronchang Industrial Park, opposite Julius Berger yard along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the state.

The statement noted Abayomi Hunye, Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority, led an enforcement team to shut the companies.

Hunye accused the Chinese companies of littering their premises with wastes, which contravene the provisions in Section 17 of the Ogun State Waste Management Law 2020.

The two companies, the Managing Director stated, were also found guilty of engaging the services of unaccredited waste collectors to evacuate their waste in contravention of section 17 of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority Law of 2020.

Commenting on the development, Hunye also said: 鈥淭he essence of shutting them down is to ensure that they comply with the standard ways of managing wastes in the state.

鈥淲e have served them several notices and warnings and they refused to comply.

鈥淲e have even gone to their premises for inspections severally to counsel them to clean their environment and engage government-approved waste collectors but they were unyielding.鈥�

He further stated: 鈥淭hey both engage unaccredited waste collectors who cannot manage their wastes.

鈥淭hat is why their premises are dirty, thereby exposing residents of the state to unnecessary odour and possible underground water infections from their untreated waste.

鈥淪o, we have no alternative than to shut them down in the overriding public interest as their behaviour and action smacks of gross disrespect to constituted authority, especially from companies owned by foreigners who are hell-bent on destroying our environment.鈥�

The Authority, therefore, warned that any company found guilty of similar violations would be sanctioned, whether it is owned by Nigerians or foreigners, the statement noted.