The National Environmental Standards Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on Wednesday in Abuja sealed the corporate headquarters of Julius Berger Nigerian Plc and Arab Contractors for violation of environmental laws.
NESREA's Deputy Director of Land and Water Resources, Mr. Godwin Atsegwasi, said the two construction companies were sealed for violating provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act of 1992.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the EIA Act was enacted to assess both the health and the economic effects of establishing industries or undertaking any type of industrial activity on the environment.
NESREA on the other hand, has the constitutional mandate to enforce all environmental laws in Nigeria and to ensure that the provision of a healthy environment for all Nigerians.
Atsegwasi said the enforcement team would perform its legal mandate by sealing any organisation, which fails to comply with the EIA guidelines.
He added that the two companies had grossly violated the EIA standards by building construction yards in various locations that were capable of causing environmental degradation.
He said that NESREA had served several notices on the two companies to comply with the EIA guidelines.
"We have written to these companies several times, but they have failed to respond and that has made us to carry out our legal mandate to seal-off their offices." NESREA will not fold its arms and watch the degradation of Nigerian environment and I assure you that this dispensation will not accept the violation of environmental laws any longer.
``These are not the only companies that have erred, so, we have equally issued notice to all others, even some quarry sites.
``We have penalties for any violation of environmental laws and their refusal to comply will further attract fines,'' Atsegwasi added.
In his reaction, the Head of Public Affairs Department of Julius Berger Construction Company, Mr. Clement Iloba, said that the company did not receive any notice.
He said, ``Julius Berger is one of the private organisations that is known for compliance with all laws in this country and this action by NESREA is very embarrassing.
``I am insisting that we never received any notice to this regard, but, we have allowed them to do their job.
``We are going to meet their management to discuss with them and I am sure that we will resolve the matter amicably," he told NAN.
NAN.
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I am not surprise with Environmental attitude of Arab Contractors who always take Nigeria and Nigerians for Granted. We are not all corrupt well done. Please Gov. Fashola save us from this Arab Contractors that you gave the Road Construction and repair of Yaya Abatan/College Road to be very professional as the Road at African Church Road to Jungle Bus Stop leading to Iju Road is already very wide. Arab Contractors came on Monday and started marking many roads for demolition. most of us were alarmed as the road is very wide as our forefathers left enough space for further construction. They were using ropes as tapes instead of computerized Measuring Equipment. In some houses they measure the construction to the Bedroom where the original owner was buried. Governor Fashola please help out with these Dana Brothers.
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