LASG BROKER PEACE BETWEEN COMMUNITY, ASPHALT COMPANY OVER EMISSION

Following media reports and subsequent sealing of Righteous Construction Company Nigeria Limited, the Lagos State Government has brokered peace between the asphalt producing company and the host community on emission from the company to foster understanding and guide the abatement process.

This intervention was at the instance of the Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti who met with the representatives of the Company and that of Otto community of Ijora Badia in his Office at Alausa on Monday.

The Commissioner explained that the emission from environmental the company was brought to the attention of the Ministry through a media report which led the Enforcement Department of the Ministry to seal up the company to prevent pollution of the environment.

Durosinmi-Etti stated that as a responsive and responsible government, Lagos State would continue its best to protect lives of its citizens, while also guiding the livelihood of its people.

“We have acted to give the community the assurance that they are safe. It is also in our interest to promote enterprise and see how we can co-habit without danger because it is difficult to say that we will displace a community because the place has become commercial and vice versa”, he said.

He disclosed that though an investigation has shown that the emission was caused by a faulty dust control unit of the plant, however, advised the company to install a new dust control unit to forestall further pollution, stressing that the installation of the unit was a sine-qua-non for the resumption of production by the company.

The Commissioner also implored the company to work in conjunction with the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) while installing the new machines as the compliance level of the company would be certified by stakeholders before it could resume production.

In their reaction, representatives of the Community, Inspector Bako and Hon. Esuruoso commended the government for its intervention despite the fact that no formal complaint was lodged.

Meanwhile, Righteous Construction Company Nigeria Limited, represented by Chief Rasaq, apologized to members of the community for any hardship caused by the emission and pledged to comply with the government directives.