Oyo govt shuts down poultry farm for causing environmental hazard

Oyo State government has sealed a poultry farm located at 15, Aroromakinde, Zone A, Arulogun Ojoo area, Ibadan, for causing what it called “obnoxious odor” within the community.

It stated that the action was part of its efforts in ensuring a healthy environment free of epidemics.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Chief Isaac Ishola ordered the closure Thursday evening while monitoring the weekly environmental sanitation exercise within the state capital. This is contained in a statement made available to 9NEWS NIGERIA Friday morning by the Media Officer in the ministry, Adesoji Olusegun.

Ishola noted that the factory belonging to messiers Mayowa Akinwale and Samuel Oladiran has been served an Abatement Notice since May this year to vacate the premises.

He said that the poultry constitutes a treat to the health of the people within the community, adding that a reminder notice was also served last month but they were recalcitrant to the government order.

He maintained that Government places more priority on environmental issues, therefore, any act detrimental to the health of the people and to the environment would not be condoned.

Commending the traders for observing the environmental sanitation exercise, Ishola however lamented that government has zero tolerance for the street trade, hence warned that wares seized would not be released.

He, therefore, enjoined all and sundry in the State to support government’s effort in ensuring a sustainable, healthy, aesthetic and habitable environment attractive to investors.

Also on Thursday, the Environmental Tribunal Court sitting at the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources fined nine (9) people for flouting the State Environmental Sanitation and Waste Management Laws.

While giving her verdict, Magistrate Patricia Adetuyibi, stated that in as much as the offenders were not apprehended in their various houses, they are guilty and thereby charged 3 years imprisonment or a fine of #7500 each for violating the environmental sanitation and waste management laws.

While speaking on the verdict, Ishola, maintained that the environmental enforcement team has been working day and night to bring violators of the Sanitation laws to book till they have change of mind, adding that environmental issue is a collective responsibility.