Pollution: Delta State Government Fines Asaba Mall Over Poor Waste Disposal

By Miracle Enuji

The management of Asaba Mall famously called Shoprite have paid the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,000.00) as fine to the coffers of the Delta State Government for deliberately disposing contaminated and untreated liquid waste into drains in the State Capital.

This development was made public by the State Commissioner for Environment, Barr. John Nani during the 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing on the activities and achievements of the Environment Ministry stating that, the Mall polluted the environment and were served abatement notice which attracted a fine of N250, 000.00 after the Ministry noticed unpleasant smell and untreated liquid waste in drains connected to the Mall.

According to Nani, “They said their Waste Management Facility was in disrepair and they sent someone to South Africa to effect repairs on it. At the time they could not manage the waste, it was been discharged into the drain around the area. We gave them abatement notice and they were fined Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira for the smell emanating from the drain.”

The Commissioner stressed that the Ministry monitored the environs of the Mall and saw that it was smelling. They properly fined its management and they paid the money into the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) account, saying “We have the receipt and I know full well that they have effected the repairs and the place is no more smelling. They are supposed to discharge already managed waste into the drain but once it is not managed, it will smell.”

However, efforts to get the response of the Mall’s management on the present situation of the waste disposal proved abortive as they evaded all entreaties by Journalists.

It will be noted that residents of Asaba especially pedestrians plying the Intersection towards Okpanam road, often times experience difficulties breathing due to the stench air oozing from the drains connected to the celebrated Asaba Mall built by South Africa property development and investment company, Resilient Africa which has Shoprite Holdings Limited as its anchor store and various businesses like, Genesis Cinema, Redson Lounge, sections of Food courts and other outlets.