THE Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) has shut down a paper processing company – Dahua Paper Company Limited, Owiwi Village, near Obada-Oko, Abeokuta for operating illegal dumpsites and also burning of wastes.

This, the state government said, is contrary to the State Environmental and Public Health Law 2006 and Section 2b(a) of OGWAMA Law 2020, which strictly prohibit open burning of waste for individuals and corporate entities.

Leading the enforcement team, the Special Adviser to the Governor and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Faruk Akintunde said after months of monitoring and intelligence gathering, the company was caught red-handed operating an illegal dumpsite opposite their factory where their waste were dumped and burnt, which according to OGWAMA law will lead to severe penalties including immediate sealing of the offending facilities.

“To confirm our intelligence report about them, the company dossier was found operating at the illegal dumpsite pushing the waste to a river at the end of the dumpsite thereby contaminating the water bodies and polluting the underground water as the river serves nearby villages hence putting the health of villagers in danger.

“Aside these, two lorries used by the company to dump their waste at the illegal dumpsites were also caught on site and have equally been confiscated,” he said.

Akintunde said the company will remain shut as they will face the full weight of the law, warning others who are in the habit of operating illegal dumpsites or involved in waste burning to desist forthwith and register with the OGWAMA for proper disposal of the waste or wait till the long arm of the law catches up with them.