The Ondo State Government has directed companies operating in the state in line with its green environment policy to obtain environmental clearance from the State Environmental Protection Agency, ODSEPA to operate unhindered.
The directive was given by the Special Adviser to Ondo State Governor on Environment, Hon Oyeniyi Oseni during an engagement with the representatives of quarry operators in the state recently in his in office in Akure.
According to a Press Release by ODSEPA’S Director of Media & Advocacy, Prince Bolu Diesel Ajijo, the directive was issued in order to ensure that the chemical and magazine storages of these operators are in line with standard practices in order to minimize incidence of explosions and hazards in and around operating environment .
The Special Adviser who is an expert in environmental matters, gave instances where chemicals and magazines that were poorly kept and stored have caused serious havoc to both the Operators and the immediate environment, specifically mentioned the unfortunate incident that occurred along Akure -Owo Road about two years ago that involved a truck ladden with chemicals meant for quarry operations that exploded which he attributed to poor storage management.
He told the quarry operators that it is the duty of the agency as an environmental watch dog to ensure the safety of the operators, the people living around their operating environment and ecosystem especially from ensuring that such ugly incident does not happen in the state.
The Special Adviser who commanded the State Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN for resuscitating the State Environmental Protection Agency ODSEPA after many years in comatose promised the agency will do everything possible to cover lost ground and bridge the yarning gap in sustainable environment in the state.
According to him the main essence of the meeting which the operators said was the first of its kind with any state actor was to introduce environmental watch dog as an agency to the operators and the decision of ODSEPA to carry out environmental compliance monitoring from time to time.
While commending the quarry operators for honouring the agency invitation in.spite of the short notice and their busy schedule Hon Oseni said the engagement is going to be a continuous one designed to engender a cordial relationship between the companies and the state government. He advised the operators to as a matter of urgency to embark on community engagements for those that have not done so before and when they have started their operations in an area to reduce to the barest minimum frictions their host communities.
While welcoming the operators to the meeting the Administrative Secretary of the Agency Princess Korede Giwa underscored the need for all hands to be on the deck to ensure the safety of the ecosystem because it is what we give to it that it gives back to us.
Prince Bolu Diesel AJIJO
Director Media & Advocacy.
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