For this, I will love to center it on Nigeria as this is somewhere I live in. And here in Nigeria, there's always a question on fairness, there's always a question about the law. We often or most times say the government or the big industries and all are the one at fault while we forget that even we are doing and adding to this things to. Walking through the street sometimes you see different nylons and papers littered around, and you beg to ask how come, are these also from this big industries and companies. These is just to open our eyes a little.
Now, about the topic, I will like to cite an example which I witnessed. Some couple of months ago, I was in Ibadan. And just right before me a young man was picked up for dropping a purewater sachet on the floor. Immediately they began to talk to him about fine and all or if he would prefer going to their office. He refused to follow them pay the fine, long last try took him away, I don't know how that case ended. But this same people who picked this guy up because of one sachet of purewater know, and see where big companies and industries dump their waste. They see how this industries waste end up polluting the environment, blocking drainages and affecting the health and lives of people and they seem to not bother about it.
This is to tell you that there are institutions here in Nigeria saddled with the responsibility of making sure that the environment is clean. And even though the law doesn't ask that companies and industries be treated gently, they who are suppose to see to it choose to treat them gently. During my service here, I was the president of my CDS group, Environmental And Sanitation CDS Group. That's the name. And I did my best, and during that time while we go for one of our outings like that and learn, I got to know that NESREA had sealed over twenty companies for violating environmental laws. So this is not to say that companies don't face consequences too. The problem we have is the problem of enforcement, consistency and the law not being able to do anything to some.
We have laws, all of those environmental institutions has their own laws too, but the enforcement is different for everyone. Had of a case of a company recently that they were told to vacate where they are using and they refused. It got so hot and the government stepped in, guess what, the matter died down, the governor told them to let it go and not bother them. Even though what they are doing I affecting the lives of those living around negatively.
If someone throws a piece of paper or nylon on the floor, they have contributed to an unclean environment, when a company dumps their waste in a river they as well gave contributed to an unclean environment, but guess what, the consequences of one is bigger than the other. A company releasing toxic smoke and all into the atmosphere are affecting the lives of thousands of people breathing in and out. A company that dump their waste in the river can cause harm to the lives of the thousands of people drinking or fishing in that particular river. What I'm trying to say here is that, that level of responsibility should match the level of harm.
I'm not saying individuals should be let go off because the harm can be minimal, nah, we all have a responsibility to keep the environment clean and tidy. If we say we should leave individuals, then we're no even doing ourselves any good. Imagine 5000 people dropping nylons on the floor, but because they are individuals we let them go. You can see it won't help. But then, while holding individuals responsible and making them take responsibilities according to the level of harm done, the same should apply to organizations too, no matter how powerful they are or who owns them.
And this is to the government. You can do better. You can't keep picking up individuals while letting go of industries and big companies. Penalties should even be way bigger for this industries, bigger to the extent that it discourages them from seeing it as mere fines or mere penalties.
So, hold them responsible, be it individuals or industries, but don't punish them the same way. Hold each responsible according to what they've done and the damage caused.
馃尮
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