STOP TOXIC WASTES IN KOKO NOW!!!
BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU
The Nigerian Federal Government under President Muhammadu
Buhari is being called upon to wade into a row between a company,Ebenco Global
Link Limited and the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth over how the
former dumped radioactive laden ed toxic
wastes in Koko Village of Delta State of
Nigeria.
In his address to a cross section of the Nigerian Press at
the Lagos office of the Environmental Rights Action ,the Executive Director of
the agency ,Dr Godwin Uyi Ojo lamented the fact that 30 years after the
infamous Koko Toxic saga he was stunned beyond comprehension but to accept the
harsh reality that no single lesson will appear to have being learn t from the
incident by the nation.
The body which revealed that the toxic wastes crisis started
about four months ago when Ebenco Global Link Limited started work at the site
insisted that the international firm was either burying the wastes in the
ground or dumping them into the Koko River which is a tributary of the Atlantic
Ocean.
He assured that the company which was into some forms of Joint
venture operations with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation[N.N.P.C.]
was in serious trouble as they will do everything within the right hand side of
the law to fix the problems they are causing as it relates to environmental degradation.
He noted that owning to several complaints by
natives,E.R.A/FoEN with some top researchers extracted soil and water samples
from the community which was sent to a certified laboratory where it was discovered that over a dozen
chemicals were dumped wastes.
He pointed out that
from the independent report that they got ,they discovered that such dangerous
chemicals like poly nuclear aromatic hydrocarbons,Oil and Grease,Total Petroleum
Hydrocarbon ,Betex which comprises of Benzene,Toluene,Ethyl Benzene and Xylene
and some heavy metals with values higher than acceptable levels of the
Department of Petroleum Resources [D.P.R]and the World Health Organization
W.H.O. standards.
His words:”Not only is
ERA/FOEN disturbed by this trend,we are also very alarmed about the
Nigerian government seemingly incensitivisation of waste imports and dumping in
the country due to the lowering of environmental standards and the lack of
compliance of extant environmental laws”
“In the wake of the toxic dumping ,the issue is being
discussed in hush tones suggesting conflicts and division in the community as
to how to handle the wastes,while some have aligned with the company involved
and demanding compensations others insists on the setting up of a commission of inquiry to help unravel the persistence of toxic waste dumping in the Niger Delta
axis and in particular Koko Village”
He added that in keeping with the relevant sections of Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution ,the
agency was making the following demands from the Nigerian Federal Government on
the matter
…………That the National Environmental Standards and
Regulations Enforcement live up to its
statutory responsibilities
………….That the Delta State Ministry of the Environment and
the Federal Ministry of Environment
should also collaborate for a proper commission of inquiry to unravel
the mystery behind the dumping of toxic wastes in Koko Village,Delta State
……………..That Ebenco Global Link Limited be compelled to clean
up its mess in Koko and evacuate its hazardous wastes ,including those allegedly
buried in large quantities.
………………That Ebenco should pay specified penalties and fines
as well as compensations o victims and community people whose land have been
contaminated over the toxic waste issue.
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