Residents of Ewekoro in the Ewekoro Local Government Area have raised the alarm over the health risks they are exposed to due to the activities of Lafarge Africa Plc, makers of cement.
The residents, who spoke with PUNCH Metro on Monday, lamented that the community was no longer safe to live in, and every effort made to get the company to take appropriate action had yielded no result.
During a visit, our correspondent observed that many of the houses in the community were covered with cement dust particles.
It was also observed that the plant equipment from which carbon oxide emanated from the factory is located a few meters from the community.
The community head, Ayinde Akintokun, bemoaned neglect from successive governments in the state.
He stressed that many of their elderly persons have died from inhaling the cement dust particles.
“Cement dust is causing harm to our health in this community. Anytime the company starts its production, everywhere becomes dusty, and we won’t be able to go out. Our elderly ones are dying from inhaling the dust particles,” Akintokun said.
He added that the community had made efforts in the past to sue the company for environmental pollution.
“We have once sued Lafarge Africa Plc for environmental pollution, but because we don’t have money to pursue the case, it was not successful,” said.
He pleaded with the government at all levels to come to their aid and save them from cement dust particles.
Another resident, Shakirat Babalola, who introduced herself as the Iyalode of the community, noted that business owners were relocating from the community because of the health challenges the dust particles posed to the community.
“We used to have a bank and police station in our community, but they have all moved away because of the dangers the dust particles posed to their health. The police station has now moved to Itori,” she said.
The Iyaloja of the community, who identified herself simply as Mrs Gbadebo, corroborated claims that the cement dust particles pose health challenges to the community.
She, however, noted that the firm had made some efforts to cushion the effect on them, including plans to relocate them to a new community, which she described as a work in progress.
“We are indeed facing challenges with the dust particles in this community, especially as it relates to our health, but I have heard that Lafarge is planning to move us to another community that will be safe for us,” she said.
Another resident, Muibat Fagade, said she lost her brother to failing health conditions due to the harmful chemicals contained in the cement dust particles.
Fagade said, “I am surviving on drugs because the cement dust particles have affected me. I have left this community sometime in the past but I had to come back because this is where I have known as my home.
“My brother, who was supposed to be the head of the community after the demise of the past head of the community, died in this house when he became sick because of the cement dust particles. There is hardly anyone in this community that does not fall sick often.”
When contacted on the telephone, the firm’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ginika Frank-Durugbor, asked our correspondent to send his request to her email, which our correspondent did and she acknowledged, but she never gave a response to the questions raised even when a reminder was sent to her.
Also, the Chairman of Ewekoro Local Government Area, Sikiru Adesina, did not respond to calls and messages sent to his number.
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