Company polluting our environment – Ogun residents

Back of the factory where water flows into the houses.
| credits: Kunle Falayi

More residents of Kudoro Estate in Isheri, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State have continued to express dissatisfaction at the pollution of the area, which they said a factory, WIHU International Limited, was responsible for.

On August 29, PUNCH Metro published a story in which the residents raised the alarm over the noise of the company's generator.

They say they are now worried about the waste water, which flows into the residences from the factory.

On Monday, some residents took our correspondent on a tour of their surroundings, which they said had been "messed up" by the steady flow of water to their residences.

One of the residents, Mallam Garba Mohammed, said his backyard "had never been dry in the last one year."

"Our problem is mainly that the factory just directed the water from its compound towards our area. There is no drain here, so the water flows everywhere it wants. We are not saying they cannot direct water to this side but they need to construct a drain through which it will flow away," he said.

Our correspondent noticed that the factory's grounds were sand-filled higher than the surrounding residential areas and this made water from the factory flow towards the houses.

The residents said the situation was compounded whenever it rained resulting in flooding of their houses.

Another resident, a policeman, who identified himself as Christian, told PUNCH Metro, that if he had the means, he would have packed out because his compound was consistently water-logged.

He said, "If I had my way, I would have packed out of this place a long time ago. We have noise problem to contend with and this place is always messed up with the waste water flowing from the factory.

"It is worse when it rains; the waste water rises to almost two feet at the back of my house. I have personally complained several times, but nothing has been done."

The factory had promised that it would find a solution to the resident's complaints when they first complained.

Our correspondent learnt that following PUNCH Metro's last publication, a team from the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency visited the factory.

The agency's Zonal Director in the South West, Mr. Olufunbi Sode, told our correspondent on the phone that the visit was to investigate the residents' claim.

Sode confirmed that the agency had summoned the company's management on the issue.

"We are doing this to resolve the issue because there is no way a factory would not take into consideration the residents living around its compound," he said.

 However, WIHU's Managing Director, Mr. Peter Williams, told our correspondent on the phone that his company did not generate any water.

He said the water the residents were complaining about came from Isheri North.

Williams said, "All the water we discharge from our company is channelled into the river beside our factory. Our neighbours believe because we operate a factory, we should carry the burden of channeling water in the area.

"I am also affected because the water once destroyed the perimeter fence of my factory. I have had a running battle with one of my neighbours because he blocked a drain the water could pass through."

He explained that it was true that when it rained the area was flooded but said it had nothing to do with his company.

William also confirmed that the company would have a meeting with officials of NESREA on how to resolve the complaints of the residents.

source: PUNCH