The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on Monday sealed the Lagos-based Nigerian Aluminium Extrusions Limited (NIGALEX) for violation of environmental laws.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NIGALEX, established in 1973 at Oshodi, Lagos, has a workforce that has since been contributing immensely to Nigeria’s economic and industrial growth.
The company has relevant modern cutting-edge technology and has over the years emerged as the leading producer of high quality aluminium products in West Africa.
The Head of NESREA’s enforcement, Kolawole Gbenga, told NAN during the sealing that the company was served numerous violation and abatement notices prior to the exercise.
Gbenga said the agency had discovered that some companies and facilities were into the production of different products without protecting the environment.
He said: “Today, we have come to seal this company that is involved in the production of metallic products (iron rods).
“It has not been complying with some relevant environmental laws such as the disposal of their waste and untreated effluents.
“We are expected to manage the environment and not to destroy it.
“If we must site a company, we are expected to follow and comply with relevant laws put in place to protect the integrity of the environment.
“We have issued compliance notice thrice.
“Also, we issued two abatement notices as warning, but the facility owners failed to comply and we have no option than to apply the law.”
Gbenga said the company was expected to correct the anomalies before the unsealing by the agency.
The Lagos State Coordinator of NESREA, Nosa Aigbedion, said the warning notices were served to the company on June 11, 2014 after the first inspection by the agency.
Aigbedion said the company was further instructed to install an effluents treatment plant, which had not been installed.
He said: “The company has failed to comply with environmental laws by not having an Environmental Impact assessment certificate and non-submission of Environmental Audit Report to NESREA.
“We have applied the carrot and it is time to apply the stick.
“We conducted the first inspection in 2014 and till date no action has been taken to mitigate the concerns and we have a duty to ensure the environment is clean and safe for all.
“There is a need for them to reach out to their community as a form of Corporate Social Responsibility.”
Aigbedion advised that companies and industries should buy into the compliance programme and imbibe the culture of respecting and obeying laws to sanitise the environment.
Efforts by NAN to get an official of the company to comment on the development failed as he declined to speak.
Finally NESREA has swung to action. Many of the industries violating our environmentmental laws are doing so because the regulatory body is NOT quick to checkmate these lawless industris. Now that the wind of change is blowing across Nigeria, government officials have now taken their jobs seriously unlike their cavalier attitude in the past. Thanks to our President for providing the good leadership.