Avoid improper waste management, Ogun warns industries, residents

The Ogun State Government has threatened to impose penalties on businesses and individuals that disregard its waste management rules in an effort to preserve a hygienic and secure environment.

The Ogun State Waste Management Authority made this announcement in a statement on Sunday, highlighting the government's dedication to upholding a safe and clean environment.

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

Hunye emphasised that the inspection was intended to assess existing procedures, make necessary adjustments, and recognise industries that complied in order to inspire others to do the same.

"The reforms aim to coordinate proper industrial waste collection and disposal instead of the haphazard methods employed by industries prior to the current administration," he said. "The reforms are of the best global standard."

According to Hunye, these reforms entail assigning government-certified trash collectors to industries, who then have to transfer their waste to approved dump sites for possible sorting and purification.

Hunye, however, voiced worries that certain industries had been evading the regulations by understating the amount of garbage they produced or hiring unauthorised collectors, which led to incorrect disposal and damage of the environment.

“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 threatened to impose sanctions for noncompliance. He did, however, emphasise that rather than closing down businesses, the government was more concerned with pushing them to adopt appropriate methods.

He declared, "The state government will not shut down any industry; instead, it will support them in doing the right thing so that, together, we can leave society with a cleaner, healthier, and safer environment."

Hunye asked industries to attend a two-day session for Health Safety Environment Officers being organised by OGWAMA next month in order to assist compliance. He pointed out that this training will offer crucial knowledge on following the waste management changes.

Adesina Adegoke, Head of Operations of Intercontinental Distillers Limited in Ota, responded on behalf of the industries, praising the government for enacting the reforms.

He declared that the measures will "make the state cleaner and safer," assuring the state of the
industries' participation.