The Ogun State Government has appealed to the Federal Government to place embargo on exportation of lead ingot pending outcome of investigation on pollution in the Ogijo area of Sagamu Local Government.
Amid the appeal, the state government has shut seven industries involved in Used lead-acid battery recycling within the Ogijo axis of the state.
The decision followed an on-the-spot inspection in Ogijo after a viral video raised concerns about possible lead poisoning in the community.
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, sealed the firms during an inspection tour of the community yesterday.
Oresanya, who led a combined team of experts from the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), stated that the move is to protect the people.
Oresanya assured residents that there is no cause for panic, noting that the state will immediately commence a comprehensive Health and Process Audit of the affected facilities.
According to him, this will include testing for lead levels in humans, soil, air, and water sources across the industrial community.
He added that the government will make the findings public once the investigation is completed, while also reviewing the methodology used in the earlier test results circulated in the media.
