The Ogun State Government has suspended three environmental consultancy firms over professional negligence linked to alleged acid battery pollution from defunct Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) recycling companies in Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government Area of the state.

The suspension was announced in a statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta on Saturday by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, following a review of the Process Audit conducted on the closed recycling facilities.

According to Oresanya, the affected firms were found culpable for failing to accurately report the operational and environmental conditions of the ULAB companies to the state government.
“The three consultancy firms attached to the ULAB companies were deficient in reporting the true state of affairs to the government,” he said.

He explained that some pollution abatement devices required to be installed by the recycling firms were either absent or non-functional, a situation he described as clear evidence of professional negligence.

Oresanya disclosed that five consultancy firms involved in the audit process were invited to a review meeting to defend their reports. While two firms provided explanations—though not entirely satisfactory, they were given the opportunity to correct identified lapses.

“The three suspended firms, however, deliberately absented themselves from the review meeting, despite being fully aware of their complicity,” the commissioner added.

He said the state government was left with no option but to suspend the firms from operating in Ogun State pending their full exoneration from any involvement in the audit irregularities.

“These firms are hereby suspended from all environmental consultancy services within the state until they clear their names,” Oresanya stated.

The commissioner further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) have been formally notified of the suspension.

He stressed that the action was taken to safeguard public health and reinforce accountability in environmental management, warning that the state would not hesitate to take further steps should evidence of negligence persist.