NIGERIA – The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) has taken a firm stance on groundwater extraction by sealing off three major companies in a move aimed at curbing unregulated use of this critical resource.
FrieslandCampina, makers of Peak Milk, Nigerian Bottling Company, producers of Coca-Cola, and Guinness Nigeria Plc were all sealed off on Tuesday, December 23, 2024, for extracting large quantities of groundwater without the necessary authorisation.
This action follows seven years of failed attempts by LASWARCO to ensure the companies complied with the state’s groundwater regulations.
Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, spoke about the consequences of unregulated groundwater extraction during a media briefing on December 22, 2024.
He highlighted the severe environmental risks involved, including land subsidence and groundwater contamination, stressing the importance of regulating this practice.
Wahab noted that LASWARCO derives its regulatory authority from the Environmental Management Protection Law of 2017, which not only grants the commission the power to oversee groundwater abstraction but also allows for penalties against entities that fail to comply with the regulations.
The state had attempted to encourage compliance by introducing a 75% waiver on groundwater abstraction fees in 2020, but the uptake of this initiative had been disappointingly low.
Wahab remarked that despite efforts to engage the companies over the years, the non-compliance persisted, necessitating the enforcement action. He emphasized that the enforcement was crucial to safeguarding the state’s groundwater
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