Nigeria annually imports 350 million litres of ethanol — Chief Enekwa

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of D-Hap Integrated Service Limited, Chief Ndubueze Enekwa, said that Nigeria imports over 350 million litres of ethanol, worth about US$ 476 million annually.

Enekwa made the statement in Enugu on Saturday while briefing newsmen that D-Hap is the only ethanol factory in the whole of South East and South South of Nigeria, noting that the development attracted the granting of pioneer status to the firm by the Federal government.

The CEO hinted that there are only five companies that produce ethanol in Nigeria.

Enekwa explained that the important of Ethanol can never be over emphasised as it is used in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and beverage industries.

He, however, said that D-Hap produces edible ethanol using molasses (sugar) which is mixed with water and yeast, fermented at controlled temperature before being distilled into ethanol.

He said that the firm which is located in Ituku, Awgu Local Government Area of the state, employs over 100 workers who were mostly from the host community.

The CEO explained that there are over 1,000 indirect beneficiaries from the company either as raw material suppliers or finished products buyers.

Recall that the residents of Nomeh community in Nkanu East LGA of the state had during a protest accused the company of polluting their only source of water with industrial wastes, which they claimed was discharged into it.

The chairman of the company said that the firm was not responsible for the allegation leveled against its operations.

Subsequently, the company’s production manager, Mr F.M. Okeke, emphasised that the company was not responsible for the water pollution in Nomeh community, stressing that its generated wastes were properly handled.

Okeke disclosed that the wastes generated by the firm are disposed at the state government’s approved site, which is paid for regularly.

The Production Manager then expressed surprise that neighbouring Nomeh community was complaining of waste discharge, whereas the host community, Ituku, and two other communities before Nomeh had no such issues.

“Is it not quite surprising that it is only faraway Nomeh that is the only one complaining, while Ituku, which is the host community is not saying anything about environmental pollution.

“That is why we (D-Hap) are very skeptical about the protest and agitation of the people.

“In 2021, there was a pollution, which affected the four communities of Ituku, Ozalla, Agbogugu and Nomeh. After that incident, we took every measure to prevent future occurrence.

“But now, only Nomeh community, which incidentally is the farthest, is shouting and protesting about environmental pollution, unlike what was the case in 2021,” Okeke said.

He, however, added that the company had commenced investigation into the cause of the said pollution.

In the same vein, the Director of Administration, the state Ministry of Environment, Mr Matthew Abia, said that he was directed by the Enugu state government to shut down the firm because of the protest.

According to him, the decision was reached at the State Executive Council meeting and accused the company of intentionally discharging their waste in Nomeh community.

While reacting on the sealing, the CEO of the firm said that there was no prior information from the ministry before the firm was sealed.