Ogun Sanctions Three Firms Over Ogijo Lead Poisoning Allegations

The Ogun State Government has sanctioned three environmental consultancy firms over alleged professional negligence and complicity in pollution linked to closed Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) recycling companies operating in the Ogijo area of the State.

The suspension was announced by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, during a review meeting on the Process Audit of the closed ULAB companies. The meeting was held at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Environment, State Secretariat, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

The affected firms are Vyne Nurt Limited, Core Environmental Services Limited and Saag Chemicals Nigeria Limited.

According to Oresanya, the firms were found culpable during the audit process, which confirmed that some pollution abatement devices the recycling companies were required to install were not in place.

He said the consultancy firms failed to accurately report the true environmental status of the companies to the State Government, an omission he described as professional negligence.

“Review of the firms’ reports on the companies during the audit process shows that their reports were deficient in reporting the correct situation to the state government,” the commissioner said.

He explained that, in order to establish the facts and ensure fairness, five environmental consultancy firms involved with the closed ULAB companies were invited to the review meeting and given an opportunity to explain the gaps identified in their reports.

Oresanya disclosed that two of the firms appeared before the panel and offered explanations which, although not entirely satisfactory, earned them an opportunity to amend their practices and improve compliance going forward.

However, he noted that the three sanctioned firms deliberately absented themselves from the review meeting despite being fully aware of the allegations against them.

“To have a clearer picture, we invited five consultancy firms involved and gave them the chance to defend their positions on the reporting gap,” he said.

“Two of the environmental consultancy firms were able to provide some explanations, which, though not entirely satisfactory, were given the opportunity to amend their ways, while the three suspended firms deliberately absented themselves from the review meeting, knowing fully well that they are complicit.”

The Commissioner stated that the Ogun State Government had no choice but to suspend the three firms from all environmental consultancy services in the state pending the time they are able to clear their names of any form of complicity in the Process Audit of the closed ULAB companies.

He added that the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) have been formally notified of the decision.

The State Government said the action forms part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental regulation, ensure accountability among consultants and operators, and protect residents of Ogijo and other communities from the health and environmental risks associated with lead pollution.