Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have called for the investigation over contaminated underground water due to fuel leakages on St. Finbars Road Akoka in Shomolu Constituency.
The prime mover of the motion, Hon. Rotimi Olowo representing Shomolu Constituency 1, in his address, noted that, two years ago, the water body around the area has been contaminated with premium motor spirit (fuel) which is highly volatile and if in contact with any form of ignition, could cause a fire outbreak that would spread through the whole community.
He added that agencies of government have been involved in ensuring that these abnormalities is resolved, but unfortunately for the past 2 years, nothing has been done as the likely source of the issue might be a Petrol Station from the neighborhood which has been sighted in the community for the past 25 years.
He further stated that “It is highly evident that the waters in the area are highly contaminated. They went ahead to have water analysis which showed that the permissible and allowed limit is 0.05 by DPR but what the analysis showed was that it varied between 3.5 – 7%, which is highly contagious and it is capable of mutilating the gene of the younger ones that have been exposed to these waters for the past two years. It is capable of damaging their DNA, in addition to all other health issues.”
Hon. Shokunle Olusola, in his contribution, opined that the House needed to attend to the issue as the effect of mutation would not only affect the present people consuming the water, but definitely affect the unborn children.
He added that “Drinking water that is polluted with hydrocarbon is as good as drinking poison. The petroleum product is a complex chemical mixture of hydrocarbon which has various levels of toxicity effects on human body; all these chemicals have irreversible effects on nervous system; they have narcotics effect; and they can also induce skin tumor, thereby causing skin cancer. If all these things are being exposed to the system, it will affect the genetic formation of human system, which will cause mutation.”
Hon. Desmond Elliot, while lending his voice, noted that the issue must be nipped in the bud before it becomes uncontrollable, and thorough investigation must be carried out as it might start spreading to other communities as it affects the genetics of the people, and their general well-being.
According to Hon. Makinde Rasheed, He observed that high leakages of petroleum products may not have been from the Petrol Station in the neighborhood, and therefore, calls for a need for thorough investigation.
Hon. Tunde Buraimoh expressed that the issue is germane to the House as a Parliament because it borders on peaceful co-existence of the people within communities.
He added that the most basic responsibility of the government is to ensure protection of lives and properties of the people, and this issue has threatened that aspect, and it is important to restore the confidence of the people in the government.
Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the House stressed that there are cases of detection of petroleum products in water that cannot be attributed to any fuel facility, but the area has a variance of petroleum and petroleum products may be discovered from that particular community.
He added that the House is an institution, and to that extent, no matter how right the suspicion is, there cannot be a quick conviction until credible investigation has been executed.
Hon. Rotimi Abiru, in his remarks, mentioned that the effect of pollution might have spread to Shomolu, but the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency LASEPA has carried out forensic investigation on the issue. He advised that a Committee be set up with a view to review all reports tendered on the issue.
Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker, directed Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency LASEPA and Ministry of Environment and Water Resources to investigate the area to clarify and establish facts concerning the issue.
