Environmental Infractions: Ogun Authorities Shuts Down Two Chinese Companies

Environmental Infractions: Ogun Authorities Shuts Down Two Chinese Companies

The Ogun State Waste Management Authority has shut down two Chinese companies for allegedly contravening environmental laws.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Authority said it took the action after several warnings to the companies fell on deaf ears.

The government said the companies also refused to engage accredited waste collectors to properly manage their waste.

The companies are Yibao Industrial Limited, located at Bara Village along the Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway, and Ronchang Industrial Park, opposite Julius Berger yard on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Managing Director of the Authority, Abayomi Hunye, led an enforcement team to seal the companies.

He accused the Chinese companies of littering their premises with waste, which contravenes Section 17 of the Ogun State Waste Management Law 2020.

According to him, the two companies 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.

“The essence of shutting them down is to ensure that they comply with the standard methods of managing waste in the state.

“We have served them several notices and warnings, and they refused to comply. We have even visited their premises on multiple occasions to counsel them to clean their environment and engage government-approved waste collectors, but they were unyielding.

“They both employed unaccredited waste collectors who cannot manage their waste. That is why their premises are dirty, thereby exposing residents of the state to unnecessary odour and possible underground water infections from their untreated waste.

“So, we have no alternative but to shut them down in the overriding public interest, as their behaviour and actions display gross disrespect for constituted authority, especially from companies owned by foreigners intent on damaging our environment,” he said.

Hunye warned that any company found guilty of similar violations would be sanctioned, whether owned by Nigerians or foreigners.