By: Tijani Salako.
The Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) has successfully intervened in a dispute between Monarch Steel Mill Limited and the Olorunsogo Ipetoro Community Development Association (CDA), Ogijo, in Sagamu Local Government Area, following a petition submitted by the community.
This was disclosed by the Agency’s Information and Public Relations Officer, Mr. Luke Adebesin, who noted that OGEPA had reached a resolution point after facilitating constructive dialogue between the parties.
According to him, the Agency’s intervention resulted in mutually agreed resolutions aimed at safeguarding the interests of both the host community and the company while promoting environmental sustainability and peaceful coexistence.
The petition, signed by the Chairman of the community, Mr. Michael Bilesanmi, drew OGEPA’s attention to concerns surrounding the expansion plan of Monarch Steel Mill Limited.
The community also requested an investigation into the company’s acquisition of properties within the community, expressing concerns over the manner in which the exercise was being carried out as part of the company’s expansion plans.
In response, the General Manager of OGEPA, Hon. Kehinde Bello, convened a stakeholders’ meeting involving representatives of the community and Monarch Steel Mill Limited to resolve the issues through dialogue and mutual understanding.
Speaking during the meeting, Hon. Bello stressed the importance of proper industrial planning, noting that industries should be located within designated industrial zones. He added that environmental sustainability and the welfare of host communities must remain key considerations in industrial development.
Bello explained that the proposed expansion involved the establishment of a buffer zone designed to ensure that the company’s operations do not adversely affect residents and other developed areas within the community.
The General Manager emphasised that while industries have the right to expand their operations, such expansion must be carried out in compliance with environmental regulations and with due respect for the rights of residents and property owners in the affected communities.
At the end of the deliberations, all parties agreed that Monarch Steel Mill Limited should not compel any resident to sell his or her property. It was resolved that only property owners willing to sell should be considered in the company’s acquisition process.
The meeting also resolved that the community’s electricity transformer should be relocated within the company’s premises, with an access gate provided to ensure unhindered access for both the community and the company. Monarch Steel Mill Limited was further directed to undertake the repair of the transformer.
The resolutions reached at the meeting were unanimously accepted by representatives of both the community and the company, with stakeholders expressing optimism that the agreements would foster peaceful coexistence, protect residents’ interests and ensure that industrial activities are carried out in an environmentally responsible manner.
