The Oyo State Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, has presented the maiden Environmental Compliance Award to British American Tobacco (BAT) for emerging as the best-performing and most environmentally compliant industrial facility in the state for the month of August.
The Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Ademola Aderinto, stated this on Wednesday, during the presentation of the award, explaining that the recognition was part of the Ministry’s efforts to promote environmental sustainability and encourage facilities operating in the State to maintain high environmental standards.
Engr Aderinto said the award was based on data and metrics obtained through the Ministry’s environmental compliance evaluation of facilities across the State, stressing that the assessment focused on how facilities manage their environmental impacts, occupational and environmental risks, resource use, waste management, pollution prevention, emergency preparedness, and other applicable environmental compliance requirements.
He clarified that the award was strictly based on the facility’s environmental management performance and compliance with relevant environmental and safety standards and not in any way an endorsement of the product of any company. It is basically an endorsement of the production and operational processes in terms of environmental compliance.
The Commissioner said the initiative was aimed at creating healthy competition among industries and other facilities in the State, noting that the monthly recognition would encourage organisations to improve their environmental performance and demonstrate that the processes leading to the production of goods and services are clean, sustainable and environmentally responsible.
He added that the Ministry would continue to monitor facilities across the State and sustain the monthly Environmental Compliance Award, while urging other facilities to improve their standards and compete for the recognition in subsequent editions.
Engr. Aderinto emphasised that environmental sustainability remained central to the state government’s agenda, stressing that producers of goods and services must put the environment first alongside other critical considerations in their production processes.
In her opening remarks, the Director of Pollution Monitoring and Quality Control, Dr Mrs Evelyn Adesina, said the competition focused strictly on the processes and procedures adopted by facilities, ensuring that their operations complied with all required environmental standards, adding that the assessment was conducted fairly and objectively to ensure equal consideration for all participating facilities.
Responding on behalf of the facility, Mr. Alex Genehr appreciated the Oyo State Government for the initiative, noting that the recognition demonstrated the government’s acknowledgement of the facility’s environmental compliance, and assured that the management would continue its efforts to maintain a safe and conducive environment for the surrounding communities and its staff.
Packaged by Temitayo Afolabi
