Court fines tannery N.5m for releasing untreated discharge in Kano

A Kano State Sanitation Mobile Court has fined Loquart Tannery N500,000 for failure to sanitise its industrial wastewater before releasing it to the drains.

The presiding magistrate, Auwal Sulaiman, gave the order shortly after the sanitation committee monitored the monthly sanitation in the state.

Commenting on the matter, the state commissioner for Environment, Ali Makoda, commended security agents and the press for their continuous support toward the success of the exercise.

Mr. Makoda charged all tanneries in the state to ensure they complied with the sanitation laws in the state to avoid the wrath of the law.

In a related development, residents of Ikole-Ekiti Local Government of Ekiti State have been urged to support efforts by the council to ensure the area is free of cholera and other diseases associated with poor sanitary condition.

Tunde Famuyisan, the Head of Environment Department in the council, made the call on Saturday when he monitored the monthly environmental sanitation in the area.

Mr. Famuyisan said the cooperation of landlords and residents was required to achieve good hygienic living environment.

He appealed to the people not to see environmental health officers as enemies, but partners in progress in making the environment free of filth, refuse and to promote personal hygiene.

Mr. Famuyisan urged landlords to take the issue of toilet facilities serious and discourage their tenants from open defecation, “so that our rivers, wells and other sources of water would not be contaminated.”

He said active participation of all and sundry in the monthly sanitation would allow residents participate collectively in the cleanliness of their surroundings.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that residents of Odo-Orin, Ilotin, Bolorunduro, Odo-Oro Isaba, among others were seen clearing refuse heaps during the three-hour exercise.

Township roads in the communities visited during the period were deserted, except for environmental health officers who were supervising the exercise.