Dare Babalola
The Ogun State government has established a 15-member Joint Monitoring Committee aimed at eliminating pollution, particularly alleged lead poisoning, in Ogijo and its surrounding areas.
Dr. Ola Oresanya, Commissioner for Environment, inaugurated the Committee, stating that it would serve as a bridge between the state government and the community.
The Committee members were strategically selected based on their residential proximity to the Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB) recycling facilities, whose activities led to the alleged lead poisoning, and their active participation in recent community engagements in Ogijo.
The Commissioner stated that the committee would also provide localised oversight on ULAB facility operations, facilitate reporting of environmental and health concerns, and support transparency in remediation and compliance processes within the Ogijo community.
Oresanya said, “Environmental protection cannot be achieved through regulation alone as it requires community vigilance, shared responsibility and mutual trust. Therefore members of this Joint Monitoring Committee carries an important mandate to act objectively, responsibly and in the best interest of public health and environmental sustainability hence their roles are also preventive and protective which are aimed at ensuring early detection of risk and sustained compliance.
“To the Used Lab Acid Batteries ULAB operators, let me be equivocal that your economic activities must never compromise human health or environmental integrity,when you are conditionally reopened.Compliance with enviromental health and safety standard are mandatory and any of the facilities that fails to meet prescribed requirement will not be permitted to operate.”
Hon. Kehinde Bello, General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), urged stakeholders to support the state government’s efforts to restore environmental compliance in Ogijo, pledging his agency’s support for the committee’s success.
The Ologigo of Ogijo, Oba Kazim Gbadamosi, in his remarks, urged ULAB operators to adhere to prescribed environmental safety standards and called upon the Joint Monitoring Committee members to discharge their responsibilities with diligence.
Also speaking, the South-West Director of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA,Mr. Jack Peniel said the national agency will ensure strict compliance with environmental standards to restore a conducive environment back to Ogijo.
