Residents of Gidan Madara Community and Dadin Kowa Estate in Minna, Niger State have raised alarm over the harmful pollutants being emitted by Golden Age Table Water and Polymer Nigeria Limited, a plastic factory located in the area.

The concerned residents submitted a petition to the State Government through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, urging for immediate intervention to address the dangerous levels of pollution.

Titled ?Petition for Quick Intervention to Save Our Souls from Noxious Chemicals, Plastic Fumes, and Soot Pollution,? the petition was signed by over 45 residents, including notable figures such as former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, Dr. Ibrahim Kolo, Professor Salihu Niworu and Mr. Lucky Barau, among others.

The petition emphasizes the severe health risks posed by the factory?s emissions to the community?s residents.

The Golden Age factory is located within Gidan Madara which is a densely populated residential area west of Minna city gate. The factory is known for producing sachet and bottled water and recently added the production of plastics like buckets, paint rubbers, plates, plastic cutleries, basins and others.

The residents in the petition claimed that they are being threatened by plastic pollution as the emissions from the plastic factory are posing health risks to them they said that the ambient air quality in the community, which is residential, has been degraded and poses a public health risk.

They said that the operation of the plastic factory was a threat to their survival.

They appealed to the state government to quickly intervene and shut down the Golden Age Plastics melting and Recycling facility to save them from premature deaths resulting from inhaling dangerous chemical emissions from the factory.

The petition read: ?The ambient air quality at Gidan Madara and Dadin Kowa Estate has been degraded. Nigeria ranks third among 10 countries with annual premature air pollution-related deaths. This is the environmental injustice that we, the residents of Gidan Madara and Dadin Kowa Estate have suffered from Golden Age Plastics melting and Recycling facility since 2019.

?All efforts made to get the proprietor of the factory to stop air pollution with noxious chemicals, plastic fumes and soot has failed. He is suffocating us and killing us gradually while he goes home to enjoy clean air.

?We are exposed to risks of blood poisoning and premature death from cardiovascular organ failure. We suffer asphyxiation (insufficient oxygen) day and night, and some residents of Gidan Madara have already developed respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic catarrh, cough, chest pain and insomnia.

?There is no guarantee that the innocent students of Himma International College, Redeemer?s Academy, Royal Ideal Schools, frequent visitors to Trade Fair complex, casual employees in Golden Age water factory, our children and grandchildren will ever live productive lives, having had their organs contaminated with toxins, furans, dioxins and hard metals that are carcinogenic and capable of endocrine disruption.

?It is noteworthy that Gidan Madara layout is not an industrial layout thus, we have appealed to relevant federal and state agencies which are capable of protecting the environment and enforcing environmental standards and guaranty the rights of all Nigerians to enjoy clean air but they failed to stop the environmental injustice for overriding public health interest nor compel him to remove the plastics recycling plant from residential area since 2019.

?The mutation of Gidan Madara water factory to a plastics recycling facility in a predominantly residential area is an aberration in the 21st century was civilization, abuse of privileges in a peaceful neighbourhood and blatant insult to Mr Governor?s New Niger and Urban Renewal Initiatives.

?Justice is a virtue, hence our quest for environmental justice. We appeal to the Commissioner to protect our fundamental human rights to life and inalienable access to clean air in tandem with SDG 3 for good health and well-being. We are not opposed to investment, but utterly reject any investment that threatens our health and right to life. We have endured enough; for peaceful co-existence in the neighbourhood, kindly save us from further pollution and premature death. We cannot enjoy quality sleep at night or fresh air in the daytime. We are dying gradually.? the petition read.

In response to the petition, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Golden Age Plastic Factory, Anthony Chidi Okoli said that the factory is not causing harm to the environment as they have put in all measures to ensure that their operations do not affect or pollute the air of the community.

?We have taken all necessary precautions in safeguarding the community where we operate. We are not doing things to affect the lives of the neighbourhood. I have all the clearance from all relevant ministries and agencies permitting me to operate in the community. I even brought a new machine to stem any pollution that our activities may be emitting,? he stated.

He disclosed that the petition is not the first petition that has been written against the factory as he refuted the claim that the factory burns plastics, especially at night, saying, ?We are not burning plastics. Recycling is just like melting and melting does not bring any smoke like burning does.? (The Nation)

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