12 January 2013, Sweetcrude, Lagos – The Federal Government, has decided to place heavy sanctions on the e-waste ship that was arrested on Wednesday, while also ordering that the toxic wastes laden containers on board the ship, MV Marivia Monrovia, be shipped back to the port of origin in the U.K.
This came after security operatives at the Tin-Can Island Port concluded examination on the two offensive containers bearing the e-wastes.
Director-General of the National Environmental Standard and Regulatory Agency, NESRA, Dr. Ngeri Benebo, said sending the consignment back to the port of origin was in conformity with the provisions of Harmful Wastes Act, promulgated after the Koko waste saga.
“We are sending the e-wastes back to the port of origin,” the director general said, adding that the agency was going to work according to Nigerian laws on the matter and do exactly what the laws said.
Benebo promised that the vessel owners would be heavily sanctioned in line with the laws of the land “The captain wanted to deceive Nigerians.
When he realised that there was a red alert on the containers, he lied that the containers were not destined for Nigeria and that they were meant for another country, which was completely false.
“I conferred with the Comptroller General of Customs, who said that once it is manifested as Nigeria, the containers must be dropped and inspected in Nigeria.”
She said the inspection of the containers, as directed by the comptroller-general, was carried out by officials of the NPA, NIMASA, the Customs Service and other security agencies.
Benebo said it was discovered that the containers were meant to be disposed off in Nigeria. According to her, Nigeria will never be used as a dumping ground and “we will resist any attempt by any country to make Nigeria dumping ground.”
Benebo said her agency acted on a tip off to track down the toxic contents in the ship. The names of the importers are Messrs Moronuk David and Bonik Investment.
