The Ogun State Government has suspended three environmental consultancy firms over alleged professional lapses in enforcing environmental regulations on pollution involving closed battery recycling companies in Ogijo.
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, disclosed this in a statement, explaining that the affected firms failed to meet required environmental law standards during a review of the Process Audit conducted on the shut companies.
He said the three consultancy firms attached to the ULAB companies were suspended for regulatory shortcomings, particularly their failure to accurately report the true condition of the firms to the state government.
According to him, the consultants did not ensure the installation of mandatory pollution control devices, an act he described as clear professional negligence with serious environmental consequences, especially within sensitive ecosystems.
The commissioner further revealed that although five consultancy firms involved in the audit were invited to defend their reports, two of them offered explanations which, though unsatisfactory, earned them an opportunity to correct their shortcomings.
“The three suspended firms, however, deliberately absented themselves from the review meeting, knowing well that they were complicit,” he noted.
Oresanya confirmed that the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) have been formally informed of the suspension.
“The suspension is necessary to protect public health and ensure accountability in environmental management,” he added.
