Kaduna residents accuse Nigeria Breweries of pollution, Contamination
By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna.
Residents of Makera community in Kakuri, Kaduna South Local Government Area has accused Nigerian Breweries Plc of releasing contaminated water into a stream behind its plant thereby contaminating wells and other sources of drinking water around the area.
They also accused the company of polluting the air by discharging through it gigantic pipes, offensive smoke causing severe air pollution within the environment.
Speaking with newsmen, a resident of the area Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Mohammed who is also the Executive Secretary “Mandate”, stated that “Nigerian Breweries usually release condemned water through its pipes which flows directly into our streams and the odour contaminates our environment. Even as we are speaking, you can perceive the odor. It is so bad that at night people within this area, especially those within Kanfage area of Makera finds it difficult to breathe with ease.
“Our wells are even affected because some of these wells in Kanfage are also affected, the water smells like the odour and so we can’t drink it. We have written severally to the company, our sister body, Youth Forum has also written severally but to no avail” Mohammed explained.
Confirming the incident, the Care Taker Chairman Kaduna South Local Government, Alhaji Yahaya Shinko said, “I wonder who gave the Kaduna South Secretariat the permit to build very close to this company, the first time I am experiencing this issue is now that we are doing verification. I sat there yesterday and could not tolerate the odour, so I demanded to see the Brewery Manager, which I just learnt is willing to see me next week Monday.
“From the information I got so far, the odour has been there for long and nothing is been done about it, I have also instructed the laboratory to carry out a text to know how hazardous the odor is to human body” he added.
Also speaking, a source from the House of the District Head of Makera who identify himself as Abdulraman said the District Head has been working on the issue.
But concerted effort to speak with the District Head of Makera, Alhaji Yusuf Ibrahim Yusuf proved abortive as Abdurahman refused pressmen access to the District Head.
Also commenting, an official of the Youth Forum Association, Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi accused the District Head of Makera, Alhaji Yusuf Ibrahim Yusuf of conniving with Human Resources Department of the Brewery to frustrate their effort.
“The District Head is on their pay roll and some years ago, they gave his son a scholarship to school in China, he usually gets soft drinks and fat envelopes from them during festivities and he has also instructed the company not to listen to us whenever we come to complain”.
However, the management of Nigerian Breweries once hinted that they have a water treatment plant in Kakuri. Meanwhile effort to speak with the Public Affairs Manager Mr. John Danjuma Ekelle on the issue failed.
On Corporate Social Responsibility programme, the Secretary to the District of Makera who gave his name as Abdulkarim applauded the Nigerian Brewery for renovating schools and building a medical laboratory for the Makera community. He however maintained that the office has not receive any official letter of complaint from the youths.
