The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office has shut down the Orchid Shopping Centre in the Eti-Osa area for discharging wastewater into public spaces, creating a significant health hazard.
The closure, which occurred on Friday, September 27, 2024, was confirmed in a statement released by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
According to Wahab, the shopping centre had been improperly releasing untreated wastewater into public drains and onto the road, thereby violating environmental regulations and posing a threat to public health.
“The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office today sealed off the Orchid Shopping Centre located along Orchid Road, Eti-Osa, for discharging wastewater onto the road and into public drains, creating an environmental nuisance and endangering public health,” Wahab stated.
The Commissioner also warned that other businesses engaging in similar practices across Lagos would face stringent penalties.
“All persons or organisations in the habit of discharging untreated wastewater and sewage into the environment must desist immediately or face sanctions.
“The necessary penalties will be enforced on the property, its owner(s), and the occupiers, in accordance with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017,” he added.
Wahab emphasized the state’s commitment to environmental protection, reiterating that there is zero tolerance for pollution and degradation in Lagos.
