By Funso Alarape
Thursday, February 1, 2024
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The Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency (OSEPA) held a meeting with all Quarry Operators/ Companies operating in Ondo State penultimate Thursday in a continuation of the agency’s engagements with key stakeholders in the environment sector.
The meeting which was led by the Acting Permanent Secretary of OSEPA, Princess Korede Giwa, took place at the Conference Room of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment.
The meeting deliberated extensively on the Agency’s Policy Thrust on the Environment as it affects quarrying operations, the importance of periodic environmental auditing, and imbibing best practices to protect the State environment from avoidable occurrences such as chemical explosions and disasters.
In her remarks, Princess Korede Giwa reiterated the mandate of the Agency which is to ensure environmental protection and sustainability in the State.
She maintained that even though industrialization is the gateway for economic growth of the State, findings have shown that industries contribute largely to the pollution of the environment, thus the need for all stakeholders to collaborate effectively and sustainably manage the environment.
Princess Korede Giwa stated categorically that the Ondo State Government would not sit back and watch the State environment destroyed due to negligence/non-compliance with extant environmental laws and regulations as the environment is the greatest asset of the State.
The Permanent Secretary said it is the people in communities of the State that feel the adverse effects/health issues associated with quarrying and mining activities.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Director of Pollution Control, Mr. Obanoyen Y.O. remarked that the environment is life and that pollution contributes to climate change, hence, the need to have a management strategy in place to address pollution.
He emphasized the need to know the air quality of the locations where the companies operate in Ondo State to be able to manage the quarrying environment properly.
Mr. Obanoyen ascertained that even though quarrying activities are on the exclusive list, the issue of the environment is on the concurrent list and it is very germane to the State Government.
The Director of Pollution Control also talked about the conduct of Environmental Auditing every two years as stipulated by OSEPA Laws and Regulations and the need for the report to be submitted to the Agency for appropriate actions targeted at improving the environment.
Other Principal Officers of the Agency also spoke on the need for peaceful coexistence between the operators and their host communities through giving back to the communities in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility as contained in the Environmental Impact Assessment reports as well as the importance of Environmental Audit as a tool to monitor environmental performance.
Reacting, the representatives of the Quarry Operators present at the meeting expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Agency in the management of the environment and to ensure that their activities are done in tandem with best environmental practices and standards.
They mentioned their CSR contributions to the communities where they operate and sought more synergy between the State and the Federal Government on the issue of the environment.
In her closing remarks, the Acting Permanent Secretary of OSEPA, Princess Giwa reiterated the need to preserve the ecosystem for generations yet unborn and the need for the quarry operators to ensure full compliance with all provisions of the law as it relates to the management/usage of hazardous chemicals to adequately protect the State environment.
The meeting ended with the exchange of pleasantries and the taking of group photographs by participants.
OSEPA is the organ of Government saddled with the responsibility of protecting and improving the environment and safeguarding the water, air, land, forest, and wildlife of Nigeria in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 11 & 20 and the Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency Law, 1993.
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