Pollution: Kano state to deal with erring industries

Is your ministry aware of complains by Panshekara and Challawa communities over the industrial discharge into their waters?The Kano State Ministry of Environment is aware of what is happening and it is because of this that measures have been taken to control the pollution that is affecting both water bodies and farmlands. To that effect, […]

Is your ministry aware of complains by Panshekara and Challawa communities over the industrial discharge into their waters?
The Kano State Ministry of Environment is aware of what is happening and it is because of this that measures have been taken to control the pollution that is affecting both water bodies and farmlands.
To that effect, in addition to ministry activities, His Excellency, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso established a committee to ensure that it controls air, water and land pollution and that committee is being chaired by one of the industrialists, who has the largest industry and tanneries in the Sharada area. So the committee has done several work and we are also working in partnership with NESREA, which is a federal government establishment in charge of environmental pollution.
The biggest problem here is that the issue of environment is constitutionally much more with the federal government and control of such pollution is much more with NESREA. Apart from the fact that the state government is bestowed with the control of what is on land according to land decree or Land Use Act. Issue of pollution, environmental assessment and others are largely controlled by the federal government under the federal ministry of environment, through NESREA.
So our committee is working in conjunction with NESREA and also now that we have got the approval to chair the committee, His Excellency appointed an industrialist. Still you find that there are issues here and there, like “who controls what?” and who does what at what time? the ministry alone cannot do it, the committee alone cannot do it, and NESREA alone cannot do it and that’s why it’s a team work. On the part of the ministry, we posted what we call Marshals to the six respective zones of the industrial areas and we posted a minimum of 4 to 5 staff in each zone, to ensure that this pollution is not allowed to happen.
But still with these stringent control measures, you find some mistake somewhere of negligence or stubbornness on the part of the industrialists. For that reason, the committee has been set up to work with NESREA to find out why and how the state government can effectively intervene to stop this pollution of the environment, air and land.
We are effectively working on it, to the extent of  tracing the source of any water and even test the water that is found to be polluting the environment. Through this testing, we can identify the culprit.

How has the committee you appointed fared in carrying out their mandate?
The committee is working hard, what people should understand is that there are some  situations where you don’t have absolute control. Now, the committee is working towards achieving 90 percent or 95percent of its target and I think we are making reasonable effort. We have our report, recently the committee went out and wrote a report indicting some of these industries defaulting on the environmental rules and regulations on waste disposal.
Some of the key industries have been fined by NESREA a minimum of  N750,000 and some of these factories have been closed down up till now, while some were closed for three months or more.
So, it is an issue that requires active presence and active participation to make sure that people are not allowed to take laws into their hands. It is not possible to achieve 100 per cent success. This is very difficult. But we are working very hard to control those areas that we know are the major perpetrators and we shall succeed.

What do you mean by the state government having minimal control or influence over the activities of the industries as per waste disposal. Who has control over them?
That is what I told you are the major problems we are facing because there is a constitutional hiccup. The constitution in terms of control of this major pollution has bestowed the responsibility on the federal government. Issues of pollution are on the exclusive list. So since federal government is the one in charge, we have to work just very closely because this is our environment being polluted. But the governor has the powers to close down any factory, if he uses the Land Use Act, while NESREA has the power to close down any factory that pollutes the environment.
In our committee, there is even a lawyer for summary trial. But that responsibility constitutionally speaking is not bestowed on the state government, it rests 100 percent with the federal government and is being implemented on behalf of the federal government by NESREA.

How have you been able to convince residents that you are on course and you are taking appropriate actions to protect them?
To ensure this kind of follow up, the governor provided this committee with a brand new vehicle and with all the necessary support to ensure the follow up against defaulters. Now that we have received this information, as I earlier told you, we shall match our action with what is called laboratory analyses. Because it may be difficult for you to understand which factories start to release the waste and at what time but once we start conducting the analyses, we can easily identify the pollutants or materials coming from whichever factories and then follow up appropriately.
What we do now is that as soon as we receive a report, we quickly send our Marshals to that area to assess the situation and see how bad it is and also to try and trace the defaulters. But certainly it has to be a kind of partnership with NESREA to ensure that rules and regulations are being followed. It is NESREA that has the right to seal up any defaulting industry. On that part, Kano state has the right to completely close and even cancel the certificate of occupancy of such factory. So, if we have to apply the two, we will do it. If it warrants taking a single action, we will do it. All we need is to receive a report because we cannot be everywhere. At the moment, when people have problems and they report to us, we mobilize and go out to the field, assess the situation, trace it and arrest the defaulters.

What do you think the industrialists and tanneries owners can do to reduce or eliminate this pollution?
We have been telling them consistently to put in place what we call primary treatment plant. If they establish this treatment plant, it means they will remove all those chemicals that cause the bad smell. Some of them have the treatment plants, some don’t have and we are urging them there is a law, a decree passed in Kano in 1992, that those factories without treatment plant have to pay a certain amount of money in order to control the situation.
That is contained under what is called “Polluters Act.” Also, there is a little amount of money to be paid by those that have the treatment plant to ensure that the state government complements the action of the primary treatment plant.
The state government is collaborating with the federal government to establish the secondary treatment plant that will treat the waste water immediately after the industries have done their part of the treatment. We are appealing to those industries that don’t have primary treatment plant to start establishing one or those that have one but do not effectively utilize it, to start utilizing it effectively because we are going to sanction and seriously fine those factories that refuse to secure that provision of primary treatment plant.