A Kano-based enterprise has been shut by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency for breaking environmental regulations.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the North West Zonal Director, Mr. Mudaishir Raheem, and his team sealed the company, Aspira Nigeria Limited, which is situated along Hadejia Road in the state’s Nasarawa Local Government Area, on Friday.
“Today, we have come to seal this company for not complying with some relevant environmental laws, such as the disposal of their waste and untreated effluents.
“We are expected to manage the environment and not to destroy it.
“If we must site a company, we are expected to follow and comply with relevant laws put in place to protect the integrity of the environment.
“We have issued compliance notice thrice; also, we issued two abatement notices as a warning, but the facility owners failed to comply and we have no option than to apply the law,’’ he said.
He said that the company would have to fix the problems before the government would lift the seal.
Raheem said that the company put raw wastewater or effluent into the environment and didn’t have a working effluent treatment plant.
He talked about how production and storage sites were being expanded without a site-specific Environmental Impact Assessment.
“Parameters such as pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Total Dissolved Solids, Turbidity, Appearance were not within NESREA Permissible Standards during the In-Situ Analysis of the Wastewater at the outlet of the Company,” he stressed.
He said that all of the crimes posed a threat to the environment, including water bodies, land, and towns nearby.
He said that the company didn’t follow the deadline on the Abatement Notice sent on April 19, 2023, so the action (sealing) was necessary.
