The Ogun Government has called for coordinated action to prevent lead exposure in Ogijo and its environs, warning that sustained intervention is needed to protect vulnerable residents.
Dr Tomi Coker, the Commissioner for Health, stated this on Tuesday at a news conference to commemorate the 2026 International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.
NAN reports that the commissioner also presented the state’s lead poisoning assessment report.
Coker said the report, developed by the ministry of health in collaboration with other agencies and partners, will guide public health planning and interventions against lead contamination.
She said the findings must translate into concrete measures to prevent further exposure, strengthen environmental surveillance and protect children, pregnant women and industrial workers.
Coker said suspected lead pollution in Ogijo underscored the need for sustained collaboration among health authorities, environmental agencies, industrial operators, and community stakeholders.
She stressed that government efforts must address potential contamination sources, improve risk communication, and encourage appropriate health-seeking behaviour.
The commissioner said the report was an important step towards evidence-based interventions, adding that its value would depend on implementing its recommendations.
“Today, we are not merely commemorating a global health campaign.
“We are also reaffirming the commitment of Ogun State Government to evidence-based action, environmental health protection, community engagement, prevention and control of lead exposure across the state,” she said.
She said the theme of the 2026 commemoration, “From Detection to Prevention”, highlighted the need to move beyond identifying exposure to preventing further contamination.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said environmental and health experts had conducted investigations into the suspected pollution in Ogijo.
Oresanya said the findings pointed to suspected pollution associated with industries involved in lead recycling, adding that the environmental assessment drew on research by experts from several institutions.
According to him, air quality trackers have been deployed in industrial areas, particularly Ogijo, to provide continuous environmental data and help authorities identify potential risks.
Oresanya said the state government was also collaborating with relevant agencies and community-based responders to identify unusual environmental changes and report them for prompt investigation.
He added that a remediation protocol had been activated in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to address pollution in line with applicable standards.
NAN reports that the state government had in November announced the closure of seven factories involved in lead-acid battery recycling in the Ogijo axis in Sagamu Local Government over suspected lead poisoning.
The government also conducted lead poisoning tests on 500 residents to determine the extent of exposure in affected communities.
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