Residents of Gidan Madara in Minna Demand Immediate Action from Niger State Government to Address Pollution from a Plastic Factory
By Akawu Ibrahim.
Residents of the Gidan Madara Community and Dadin Kowa Estate are urgently demanding that the Niger State government take decisive action to protect their lives from the harmful pollutants emitted by the Golden Age plastic factory.
Situated in Gidan Madara, a densely populated residential area west of the Minna city gate, the Golden Age factory primarily produces sachet and bottled water but has recently expanded into plastic production. This expansion has resulted in dangerous air pollutants that pose severe health risks to the community.
In a petition signed by 45 concerned residents, the gravity of the situation is clear. The emissions from the plastic factory have made life unbearable and jeopardized the health of families in the area.
Titled “Petition for Urgent Intervention to Save Our Lives from Noxious Chemicals, Plastic Fumes, and Soot Pollution,” the residents are demanding immediate closure of the Golden Age plastics melting and recycling facility. They assert that their lives are at risk due to the hazardous chemical emissions from the factory.
Addressed to the Niger State Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, the petition includes prominent local figures, including former Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, Dr. Ibrahim Kolo, Prof. Salihu Niworu, Mr. Lucky Barau, and others. These leaders have highlighted the alarming degradation of air quality in the residential area, which poses a significant threat to public health.
The petition declares, “The ambient air quality in Gidan Madara and Dadin Kowa Estate has significantly deteriorated. Nigeria ranks third among the ten countries for annual premature deaths related to air pollution. Since 2019, we, the residents of Gidan Madara and Dadin Kowa Estate, have endured environmental injustice due to the Golden Age plastics melting and recycling facility. All efforts to persuade the factory’s owner to cease emissions of harmful chemicals, plastic fumes, and soot have failed. He continues to suffocate us while enjoying clean air in his own home.”
The residents unequivocally express their concerns about the potential for blood poisoning and the imminent danger of premature death from cardiovascular failure. Many report suffering from insufficient oxygen supply, resulting in respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic cough, chest pain, insomnia, and other serious health issues. They are alarmed for the health of children, local school students, and workers near the factory, as toxins, furans, dioxins, and heavy metals pose long-term risks to their well-being.
The petition further asserts, “Gidan Madara is not designated as an industrial area. We have made urgent appeals to federal and state agencies to safeguard our environment and enforce standards that guarantee our right to clean air, yet these appeals have been dismissed. Since 2019, there has been a complete lack of action to address this environmental injustice or to relocate the plastic recycling facility away from our homes.”
Residents characterize the conversion of the Gidan Madara water factory into a plastics recycling facility in a predominantly residential district as an intolerable mistake. They view it as a gross misuse of privileges in their peaceful neighborhood and a blatant disregard for the Governor’s New Niger and Urban Renewal Initiatives.
“Justice is essential; thus, our pursuit of environmental justice is vital. We appeal to the Hon. Commissioner to protect our fundamental human rights to life and ensure our access to clean air, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3 for good health and well-being. We are not against investment, but we firmly reject any initiative that threatens our health and right to life. We have endured enough. For peaceful coexistence in our community, we urgently request relief from ongoing pollution and the threat of premature death. We can no longer enjoy quality sleep at night or fresh air during the day. We are dying gradually,” the petition concludes
