The Ogun State Government has called on industries operating in the State to engage government approved waste vendors as part of their contribution towards supporting the State at protecting the environment.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Bolaji Oyeleye, made the call while inspecting some industries in Odogbolu and Obafemi-Owode Local Government Areas of the state said industries should be ready to partner with government especially in the area of waste management across the State
Oyeleye, who was represented by a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Oyesiku Amosun, disclosed that section 8 of the State Environmental Managements (miscellaneous) provisions Law, 2004 empowers the Ministry to register all Environmental Management Contractors such as Waste Managers and Waste Vendors as well as Environmental Consultants.
He, therefore, called on industries to always engage only government approved waste managers and vendors, adding that this would lead to effective waste management’s and protection of the environment.
‘’It is established in our law that no one shall engage in solid or liquid waste disposal or any form of environmental management without registration with government. The onus is on industries to engage waste managers and vendors that we have approved. Of course, this means that they are our partners in environmental protection,’’ he said.
The Commissioner, while speaking on government insistence on Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) for industries, said that the present administration would continue to be alive to its responsibilities at protecting the environment even as more industries open shop in the State.
He added that government would continue to monitor industries at ensuring total compliance, saying it would not hesitate to sanction defaulters in accordance with the law.