Ogun launches remediation exercise in Ogijo over alleged lead contamination

The Ogun State Government has commenced a comprehensive environmental remediation exercise in Ogijo following allegations of lead poisoning in the industrial community, as part of efforts to eliminate any form of lead contamination and safeguard public health.

The exercise follows a detailed process audit of all Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) recycling facilities in the area, alongside extensive environmental and medical assessments, including soil, water, air quality and blood tests conducted on residents.

Speaking at the flag-off of the exercise, the General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Hon. Kehinde Bello, said the government had begun evacuating hazardous slag illegally dumped in several communities around the industrial hub.

READ ALSO: Questions over campus safety after gunmen kidnap five students from Ogun hostel

According to Bello, the removal of the waste materials is a critical step toward protecting residents from potential exposure to harmful lead contamination.

“The evacuation of this slag will take us weeks to complete because large quantities were illegally dumped across many communities surrounding the ULAB facilities. The state government is committed to removing them in the overall public interest and for the well-being of residents,” he said.

He assured residents that illegal dumping of slag would no longer be tolerated, adding that the state government had directed all ULAB operators to upgrade their operations by installing automatic battery breakers to significantly reduce slag generation.

Bello explained that the facilities have also been mandated to comply strictly with the government’s newly established standards and procedures for slag management to prevent future environmental hazards.

Also speaking, OGEPA’s Director of Hazardous Material Management, Mr. Babatunde Lawal, disclosed that the remediation programme would extend beyond the evacuation of hazardous waste.

He said the agency would undertake a bio-remediation exercise involving the planting of vegetation capable of absorbing lead from contaminated soil, thereby restoring affected sites after the removal of the slag.

Lawal urged operators of Used Lead Acid Battery recycling facilities to conduct their activities responsibly and sustainably in the interest of environmental protection and public safety.

Meanwhile, the Director of Inspectorate and Compliance at OGEPA, Mr. Tunde Bolarinwa, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strict regulatory oversight of ULAB facilities.

He warned that regular monitoring would be intensified to ensure full compliance with the state’s revised operational guidelines, stressing that any operator found violating the new standards would face appropriate sanctions.

The remediation exercise forms part of the Ogun State Government’s broader environmental protection strategy aimed at addressing industrial pollution and promoting safer, more sustainable waste management practices in the state