The Director-General (DG), Young Nigerian Rights Organization, Comrade Victor Ojei, alleged that the government engages in selective enforcement.
He made the assertion when the state taskforce on environment on Tuesday 12th January 2021, sealed up Rainoil fuel station along Nnebisi road, opposite Lion House, Asaba, Oshimili south local government area of the state.
The taskforce led by one Ifeanyi Ewa, purportedly forced the management of the fuel station to pay the sum of N50, 000 into Zenith Bank account No. 1017701146 belonging to the state government.
Ojei, alleged further that the taskforce was targeting fuel stations in the state capital, using the pandemic as excuse to boost her Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Hear him: “Ministry of Environment task force are targeting and sealing filling stations at Asaba, their reason is that they did not wear nose mask.
“They compel these private business facilities to pay the sum of N50, 000, kindly keep in mind that Delta state government has failed. It is their duty to fund or give soft loans to small businesses due to Covid-19 impact on the society.
Ojei, argued that fuel stations are not as congested as market places where traders and buyers rob their bodies on each other, a situation that may likely increase the risk of the disease spreading uncontrollable.
“Are fuel stations crowded? Why did they not start for the main market at Asaba that is always congested?
“It is a shame that this Government and it’s taskforce teams always find ways to extort from the citizens forgetting the fact that they have failed Deltans in their statutory duty of providing welfare to citizens.
While giving reasons on why a facility could be sealed, he said such property or business entity must have been of threat to the immediate environment, stressing that such permit must be authorized by a competent court.
Said he: “The only condition that a building or facility can be sealed is when the facility poses danger to occupants or person around the environment, then based on environmental laws the enforcement teams will approach a court of law giving reasons why they want to seal the facility to enable them remove the disease causing agent after which they will give invoice to the owner or owners of the facility to refund to Government the amount spent to facilitate their actions”, he disclosed.
Speaking further, he alleged that the operators of the fruit shops built by the state government were not observing the Covid-19 protocols when his team visited the shops.
“Attached to this letter is a photo of the Delta Capital Territory Development Agency fruit shops where nobody was wearing a nose or face mask.
“We also visited small businesses owned by family members of popular politicians in Delta State, not even one person was wearing a face mask.
“We have communicated with the Honourable Commissioner for Environment who have promised to Investigate and get back to us.
“It will be good if Delta State Government always take actions with a human face, the people who basically are the Government needs to always feel loved by those in authority rather than tormenting them.
Contacted, Mr. Ifeanyi Ewa, who confirmed the sealing of Rainoil and subsequent payment of the sum of N50, 000, revealed that the station was unsealed as soon as the payment was made.
He noted that the fuel station was sealed due to flaunting of government directive on Covid-19 protocols.
Hear him: “the sum of N50, 000 was paid into the state IGR account. It is confirmable, they have their receipt. They did not comply with the Covid-19 protocols.
“Protocols of clustering, serving people without facemask, not having the necessary things that should be done. They are serving the public. That was why they were sealed and they met up with the fine and their office was unsealed. This is a belated news, it happened two days ago, it is a belated news”, Ewa, echoed.
Contacted, the State Commissioner of Environment, Chris Onogba, said: “Selective enforcement is not accepted or encouraged by govt, my office is investigating the issue, anyone involved in selective enforcement would be punished appropriately”.
At press time, efforts to get the side of the branch manager of Rainoil was unsuccessful.
