{"id":13631,"date":"2017-03-08T19:43:02","date_gmt":"2017-03-08T19:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=13631"},"modified":"2017-03-08T19:54:07","modified_gmt":"2017-03-08T19:54:07","slug":"stop-dumping-toxic-wastes-in-koko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=13631","title":{"rendered":"DUMPING OF TOXIC WASTES IN KOKO &#8211; ERA\/FoEN DEMANDS FOR COMMISSION OF INQUIRY"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Speech by Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action\/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA\/FoEN), Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo at a press briefing to expose new toxic wastes dump in Koko, Delta State, held 8 March 2017 at ERA\/FoEN Lagos office<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Gentlemen and Ladies of the Press,<\/p>\n<p>It gives me pleasure to welcome you to this press engagement which was called at very short notice.<\/p>\n<p>This press briefing is an urgent conflict alert to draw the attention of the Delta State government and the federal agency National Environmental Standard &amp; Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to immediately set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the recent dumping of toxic waste in Koko town in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State. This is not the first time this is happening. To refresh our memory, persistent ecological onslaught on the people of the Niger Delta being perpetrated by corporations and their Nigerian collaborators continues unabated leading to massive pollution of water bodies and soil contamination.<\/p>\n<p><code><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- www.deltanewsroom.com --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2163942495525027\" data-ad-slot=\"1411897411\" data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/code><\/p>\n<p>To recall, in 1987 an Italian businessmen Gianfranco Raffaeli and Renato Pent, of the Waste Broker firms Ecomar and Jelly Wax respectively, signed an illegal agreement with an unsuspecting Nigerian businessman, Sunday Nana, to use his property for storage of 18,000 drums of hazardous waste for approximately $100 a month.[1]\u00a0 Italy is believed to produce between 40 and 50 million tons of industrial wastes and 16 million tons of household wastes each year, most of which are exported to developing countries like Nigeria for disposal. Nana was made to believe the wastes were substances relating to the building industry, and were residual and allied chemicals. By the time the truth came out, it was discovered that the contents included \u201ctoxic and radioactive\u201d substances including asbestos fiber and dioxin, among other dangerous chemicals. The Koko people and those who handled the wastes were exposed to the hazards of the chemicals and some were hospitalized with problems ranging from chemical burns, nausea, to paralysis. The chemicals included resins, solvents and pigments that cause inflammation of vital human organs, poisoning the blood system and cancers. Nana reportedly died while watching the toxics.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/koko.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-13567\" src=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/koko-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/koko-300x199.jpg 300w, http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/koko-768x510.jpg 768w, http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/koko.jpg 996w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Recall that it took several media stories before the then Ibrahim Babangida junta stepped in and made some arrests and finally through diplomatic means ensured that the toxic wastes were returned by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to sender in Italy.<\/p>\n<p>That incident played a crucial role in the birth of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) charged with the administration and enforcement of the provisions of environmental laws in Nigeria. In addition, the government enacted the Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Provisions) Act, 1988, to deal specifically with illegal dumping of harmful waste.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Another toxic nightmare unfolding in Koko?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It may shock you all to know that nearly 30 years after the sad incident we mentioned, ERA\/FoEN and locals have again confirmed new wastes dump in vessels owned by Ebenco Global Link Limited as hazardous.\u00a0 Ebenco is into waste management and recycling and operating in the Koko since 2007 or thereabout and known for emptying sludge and similar wastes into the Koko river or simply burying them.[1]<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alternativeadvert.com\/show.php?z=30&amp;pl=12587&amp;ad_type=59&amp;rl=180\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The waste substances are said to be from an international oil company which is in a Joint Venture (JV) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).<\/p>\n<p>Owing to complaints by some locals, ERA\/FoEN worked with some researchers to extract soil and water samples from the community and sent them to a certified<\/p>\n<p>laboratory where it was discovered that over a dozen chemicals were in the dumped waste. From the independent report, the dangerous chemicals includes poly nuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), Oil and grease, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) and BETEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl benzene and Xylene) and some heavy metals with values higher than acceptable levels of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.[1]<\/p>\n<p>Not only is ERA\/FoEN disturbed by this trend, we are also very alarmed about the Nigerian government seemingly incentivisation of waste imports and dumping in the country due to lowering environmental standards, and the lack of compliance of extant environmental laws.<\/p>\n<p>In the wake of the toxic dumping the issue is being discussed in hush undertones suggesting conflicts and division in the community as to how to handle the waste. While some have aligned with the company involved and demanding compensation others insist on the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry to unravel the persistence of toxic waste dumping in Niger delta and in particular Koko town.<\/p>\n<p><code><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- www.deltanewsroom.com --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2163942495525027\" data-ad-slot=\"1411897411\" data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/code><\/p>\n<p>To address the indiscriminate and illegal dumping of hazardous wastes like in the case of Ebenco Global Link Ltd, and more importantly in keeping with the spirit and letter of Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution for the protection of air, water, soil, we make the following demands:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our Demands<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<ul>\n<li>That the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) live up to its responsibility of protection of the environment and enforcing\u00a0 compliance with all environmental laws both in Nigeria as well as international agreements, protocols and treaties on the environment to which Nigeria is a signatory.<\/li>\n<li>Delta state Ministry of Environment and the federal Ministry of Environment should also step in to collaborate for a proper Commission of Enquiry to unravel the persistence of toxic waste dumping in Koko.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/market.jumia.com.ng\/men-shoes\/?utm_source=pap&amp;utm_medium=aff&amp;utm_campaign=0bed9dec&amp;a_aid=Omafume&amp;a_bid=0bed9dec\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" title=\"\" src=\"\/\/kaymu.postaffiliatepro.com\/accounts\/default1\/a72f75b38\/0bed9dec.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"501\" height=\"215\" \/><\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: 0;\" src=\"http:\/\/kaymu.postaffiliatepro.com\/scripts\/a72f75i38?a_aid=Omafume&amp;a_bid=0bed9dec\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>That Ebenco Global Link Limited be compelled to clean up its mess in Koko and evacuate its hazardous wastes, including those allegedly surreptitiously buried in large quantities[1]<\/li>\n<li>That Ebenco should pay specified penalties and fines as well as compensation to victims\/community people whose land have been contaminated.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We stand in solidarity with the people of Koko and concerned environmental advocacy groups in challenging the human rights abuses and impunity being perpetrated by the company. This environmental onslaught at the behest of the company that has led to the divide and rule of the people in Koko must stop now!!!<\/p>\n<p>The environment is our life, it is not for sale!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Speech by Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action\/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA\/FoEN), Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo at a press briefing to expose new toxic wastes dump in Koko, Delta State, held 8 March 2017 at ERA\/FoEN Lagos office Gentlemen and Ladies of the Press, It gives me pleasure to welcome you to this press [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":13567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[26,3592,3581,3593,3591],"class_list":["post-13631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","tag-erafoen","tag-gianfranco-raffaeli","tag-koko","tag-nana","tag-nesrea"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/koko.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4oswh-3xR","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13631"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13633,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13631\/revisions\/13633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}