Health

Lagos Shuts Down YABATECH Sewage Plant Over Unauthorized Waste Discharge

Published

3 months ago

October 19, 2025

260 Views

The Lagos State Government has sealed the sewage and wastewater treatment facility at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) following allegations that the institution was discharging raw, untreated sewage into the environment in violation of state environmental laws.

The enforcement action was carried out by the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO), operating under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, after the college reportedly ignored multiple warning letters and failed to address long-standing environmental compliance issues.

Announcing the development, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that the college’s actions constituted a serious breach of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017. The law explicitly prohibits the discharge of untreated wastewater or sewage into public drains, canals, or any part of the natural environment.

“The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office has sealed off the non-functional sewage and wastewater treatment facility of Yaba College of Technology due to its illegal discharge of raw sewage into the environment,” Wahab said in a statement.

He described the situation as a major public health risk, noting that untreated human waste contributes to the contamination of water sources, the spread of waterborne diseases, and general environmental degradation. Wahab emphasized that institutions, whether public or private, are not exempt from compliance with environmental laws and standards.

“Illegal discharge of wastewater not only endangers the health of residents but also undermines our efforts to maintain a sustainable, safe, and flood-resilient Lagos. The state government has zero tolerance for environmental infractions and will continue to enforce compliance,” the commissioner said.

#ZeroToleranceLagos Campaign

The sealing of YABATECH’s facility forms part of the state’s ongoing #ZeroToleranceLagos campaign—an initiative aimed at holding individuals, businesses, and institutions accountable for environmental violations. According to the Ministry, the campaign is designed to protect public health, improve environmental quality, and reduce pollution across Lagos.

Officials from the Wastewater Management Office said they had repeatedly engaged YABATECH’s management before resorting to enforcement. Technical guidance and timelines for achieving compliance were provided, but the institution allegedly failed to take corrective action.

Broader Enforcement Actions Across Lagos

In a related development, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has continued its crackdown on environmental violators across the state. On Thursday, the agency sealed 11 establishments in the Ikorodu area for various infractions, including persistent noise pollution, improper waste disposal, and failure to obtain necessary environmental permits.

The affected businesses include bars, hotels, lounges, and industrial facilities. Among those sealed are Zero Square Bar & Lounge, Limpex Resources, Starex Poly, Skipper Nigeria Ltd, NDO Hotel & Suites, Beechwood Guest House, Embassy Lounge, and A-Star Pencil.

The enforcement operation targeted several key areas in Ikorodu, such as Agodo Gas Line, Odogunyan Industrial Layout, Ita Oluwo Junction, Haruna, Ipakodo Road, and Ebute.

LASEPA stated that the crackdown is part of a broader effort to promote environmental responsibility and ensure that all sectors adhere to the state’s environmental protection framework.

Commitment to Sustainable Development

The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to creating a healthier and more livable environment for its residents. Officials say that environmental compliance is central to the state’s climate resilience agenda and a critical step toward achieving its goals for a cleaner, greener Lagos.

Commissioner Wahab urged all public institutions, private companies, and individuals to align with the state’s environmental policies, warning that non-compliance would attract strict penalties, including fines, facility closures, and potential legal action.

“Lagos is committed to enforcing all existing environmental laws. Institutions must lead by example, and no one is above the law when it comes to protecting our environment,” Wahab added.

The situation at YABATECH serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of environmental negligence and the growing resolve of the Lagos State Government to ensure strict enforcement of environmental standards across the state.

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Health

WHO: United States membership withdrawal takes effect

Reacting to the development, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed regret over the decision and urged the United States to reconsider.

Published

5 days ago

January 23, 2026

OCHEFA

38 Views

The United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially took effect on Thursday, exactly one year after President Donald Trump ordered the country to pull out of the global health body.

Under the terms governing WHO membership, a withdrawal becomes effective after a mandatory one-year notice period, which expired on Thursday 22 January, following the executive order signed by Trump shortly after he took office in 2025.

Although the agreement requires the United States to settle all outstanding financial obligations before withdrawal, that condition has not been met. However, the WHO has no legal mechanism to enforce payment or prevent a member state from exiting the organisation.

Reacting to the development, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed regret over the decision and urged the United States to reconsider.

“The withdrawal is a loss for the United States and also a loss for the rest of the world,” Tedros said, adding that the organisation remains open to the country’s return.

President Trump had justified the decision by accusing the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China, as well as other global health emergencies.

He also cited the organisation’s alleged failure to implement necessary reforms and its inability to operate independently of political influence from member states.

Health

Obasanjo to champion Nigeria’s newborns health as 800 die Everyday

Speaking at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, ahead of the 57th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association, Ekure lamented about Nigeria’s worsening child health indicators, warning that vaccine-preventable diseases, malnutrition and rising newborn deaths continue to claim thousands of young lives daily.

Published

1 week ago

January 20, 2026

OCHEFA

59 Views

Image credit: Meta AI

The Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) says that former President , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has accepted to be an advocate for children’s nutrition and healthcare in an efforts to reduce the high deaths rate amongst them.

“More than 800 Nigerian families lose a newborn everyday, despite the fact that most of the deaths are preventable,” said the PAN President, Dr Ekanem Ekure.

While visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his residential house in OOPL, the association demanded that he should an advocate for children’s nutrition. A tasked he greatly accepted.

He pledged to be an advocate of child healthcare and utilize his strength even though he doesn’t have children at hand anymore.

Ekure said Nigeria remained off track in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3), particularly in the areas of neonatal and under-five survival, describing the situation as a national emergency requiring urgent political, financial and technological intervention.

According to her, about 50 percent of child deaths in Nigeria are worsened by malnutrition, noting that poorly nourished children are far more likely to die from infections than healthy ones.

Ekure blamed vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, poverty, insecurity and weak health financing for Nigeria’s high burden of preventable child deaths, warning that the resurgence of diseases such as measles in some parts of the country mirrored global trends where immunisation rates have fallen.

Health

Money-for-marks scandal rocks Rivers State medical college

Oreh said, “The Rivers State Ministry of Health, and indeed the Rivers State Government, have zero tolerance for corruption in any shape or form.”

Published

2 weeks ago

January 13, 2026

OCHEFA

70 Views

• Rivers State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh

The Rivers State Government has ordered a full-scale investigation into allegations of extortion, including money-for-marks and the sale of examination papers, at the State College of Medical Sciences in Port Harcourt.

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, disclosed that following the allegations, the government has suspended the head of one of the departments linked to the alleged offences, although the specific department was not disclosed.

She also announced that a committee chaired by the Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital had been constituted to thoroughly investigate the allegations.

Oreh said that the action followed a series of complaints against the institution, which also included allegations of students being compelled to pay for the approval of project topics.

Oreh said, “The Rivers State Ministry of Health, and indeed the Rivers State Government, have zero tolerance for corruption in any shape or form.”