Lagos State government yesterday threatened to shut down the Apapa plant of the Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC), makers of Coca Cola, and other companies operating in the state, if they don�t desist from “indiscriminate pollution of waterways in the state”.
The government warned the management of the multi-national company against the alleged attitude, saying it will wage the big stick �if it persist in degrading environmental laws and values.�
In a press release made available to newsmen in Ikeja, and signed by its Press and Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mrs. Omolase Yejide, the State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Authority (LASPEMA) alleged that the pollution has changed the natural colour of the rivers surrounding the plant.
LASPEMA Chairman, Architect Kabir Ahmed, expressed the state government�s anger at the illegal dumping of refuse and disposal of by-products into its waterways by the company.
The LASPEMA boss handed down the warning while addressing the Ilaje community in the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government after inspecting the waste discharge point of the NBC.
He disclosed that his visit to the locality was informed by the series of petitions from the people in the area over pollution of the waterways.
�Any company or organization found violating environmental laws in the state will be shut down because dumping of refuse at the river bank has also contributed to the deplorable state of the community.�
Ahmed informed the bottling company on the need to have a water treatment plant to avoid further discharge of its by-product in the waterways so as to make the state environment friendly and habitable for all, imploring residents to make use of designated refuse point or engage the services of the refuse collector.
Dec222006