In a sweeping action on Thursday, the Lagos State
Environmental Protection Agency sealed off about
15 companies located in various industrial and
residential areas in Lagos.
LASEPA's Director of Enforcement, Mr. Kayode
Bello, who led the team, said the companies and
factories were shut down because they were
"sources of environmental degradation and
pollution."
When the team, which was backed by armed
policemen, arrived at two of the companies -
Primlaks Galvanizing Industries and Eureka
Metals Limited, the employees were caught
unawares
Bello gave orders from a hand-held megaphone.
He told workers at Primlaks to drop their tools
and vacate the premises immediately. The
workers, numbering hundreds, trooped out of the
factories.
The LASEPA team pointed at some oil and
aluminium sludge in the companies' drain.
Bello said, "This oil is collected and channelled by
the drains into streams and rivers, where they
contaminate aquatic life. The fishes in the water
are in turn eaten by Lagosians and these cause
various diseases.
"We have warned these companies several times
in the past, and we even recommended ways to
abate the pollution, but they did not comply. Their
offences include air and noise pollution, discharge
of sludge from furnace into the environment."
The Production Manager of Primlaks, Joel
Adebomi, told our correspondent that the
production wastes, which were packed in plastics,
contained zinc and lead. He said the wastes were
bought by "outsiders who refine and resell them."
Bello however disputed that the wastes were
refined, saying the wastes were improperly
disposed.
Other companies shut on Thursday were
Wingham Furniture, Berkley Estate, Abule-Egba;
a bakery at 5, Ali Street, Off Olorunshogo,
Mushin; Tin Oil Limited, Muritala Mohammed
Way, Yaba; Ikorodu Industrial Steel, Odogunyan,
Ikorodu. Two churches shut because of noise
pollution are Christ Victoria Chapel at 2B, Cole
Street, Iyana Ipaja; and Christ Chosen Church of
God at 10, Matanmi Street, Onipanu, Lagos.
The General Manager of LASEPA Mr. Rasheed
Shabi said, "After warning these companies, their
proprietors went about sending people to us.
There is nobody above the law. Before we reopen
them, they must put our recommendations in
place."
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