The Ogun State Government has shut two industries, Quantum Steel Industry in Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government, and Xinfeng Plastics Limited along the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway for Industrial accidents that resulted in alleged fatalities.
A statement by the Ogun State Ministry of Environment says Quantum Steels was shut down for an Industrial explosion which resulted in fatalities with some victims still hospitalized.
Xinfeng Plastics was equally closed down after a machine operator Ishaku Monday lost his life due to electrocution.
In closing down the two companies, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) who doubles as the Chairman of the State Taskforce on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Farook Akintunde said the government decided to shut down the companies to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the unfortunate incidents and proffer solutions to avert future occurrence.
As a government, we are determined to conduct credible and diligent investigations including inviting external safety experts to get to the root cause of these incidents in the overriding public interest and safety, he said
What is even more painful is that despite the state government’s regular visits to these companies just like others statewide to educate them on the need to adhere strictly to safety procedures, such incidents still occurred within their production lines that resulted in fatalities, so the need to close them down.
The special adviser added the two companies will remain shut until investigations are concluded and new safety protocols are entrenched.
He warned other companies in the state to take the safety of their workers especially those in the production lines paramount as the state government will not only close down any erring company with such an occurrence but will also blacklist them.
In the meantime, the Ogun State Government has equally closed down two other companies, Wemco Nigeria Limited at Magboro along the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway and Beautiful Fibre at Ogere also along the Lagos -Ibadan Expressway.
Wemco Nigeria Limited was allegedly found guilty of obstructing state officials from performing their official assignment of investigating an erosion dispute between them and their immediate community development while Beautiful Fibre was found guilty of exposing its workers to hazardous chemicals by not providing them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) despite several warnings by state government officials during routine visits to the companies.
The two companies are also to remain shut until they comply with government directives.
