Ogun vows sanctions for improper waste management

The Ogun State Government has warned that industries and individuals who fail to comply with its waste management regulations will face sanctions.

This was announced in a statement released by the Ogun State Waste Management Authority on Sunday, which emphasised the government’s commitment to maintaining a clean and safe environment.

The Special Adviser to the Ogun Governor on Waste Management, Abayomi Hunye, made this known during an inspection of waste management practices at selected industries across the state.

Hunye highlighted that the inspection was aimed at evaluating current practices, implementing corrections where needed, and commending compliant industries to encourage others to follow suit.

“The reforms, which are of the best global standard, seek to coordinate proper industrial waste collection and disposal instead of the haphazard methods employed by industries before the advent of the present administration,” he said.

Hunye explained that under these reforms, industries are assigned government-certified waste collectors responsible for transporting their waste to designated dump sites for sorting and decontamination if required.

However, Hunye expressed concerns that some industries had been circumventing the rules by underreporting their waste output or engaging unapproved collectors, resulting in improper disposal and environmental pollution.

“Some industries have refused to give their waste to government-assigned collectors or declared little waste to circumvent the reforms and subsequently engage illegal collectors who dump waste indiscriminately, thereby fouling the environment and exposing residents to avoidable danger,” he stated.

Hunye warned that non-compliance would be met with penalties. However, he added that the government was more focused on encouraging industries to adopt proper practices rather than shutting down operations.

“The state government is not interested in closing down any industry but will continue to encourage them to do the right thing so that together, we can bequeath a cleaner, healthier, and safer environment to society,” he said.

To support compliance, Hunye urged industries to participate in an upcoming two-day workshop organized by OGWAMA for Health Safety Environment Officers, scheduled for next month. This workshop, he noted, would provide vital information on adhering to the waste management reforms.

Responding on behalf of the industries, the Head of Operations at Intercontinental Distillers Limited in Ota, Adesina Adegoke, commended the government for introducing the reforms.

He assured the state of the industries’ cooperation, stating that the reforms would “make the state cleaner and safer.”