Chief Emeka Agbanari, Managing Director of Seaman Industries, owners of Seaman Rice Mill located at Ndam in Anambra State, says the factory posed no environmental or health hazards.
Ndam Village is in Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area.
Agbanari reacted to a protest by some members of the host community who claimed that emissions from the factory were hazardous to their environment.
He spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Thursday.
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The indigenes had alleged that activities of the factory were endangering their livelihoods due to toxic emissions from the factory.
However, the managing director said that the factory, which had yet to begin full-scale operation, was only releasing ash from firewoods.
Agbanari said that the factory was still being test-run.
He said that a team of engineers installing machines in the factory was still working to rectify any errors.
“I am aware of the ash that is coming out from the rice mill instead of smoke which should normally go up into the air.
“Engineers who installed the machines are still working to stop the release of ash which the people are complaining about.
” I must add that there is nothing harmful or toxic about the ash,” he said.
He dismissed as untrue, a claim that the factory was hid with a high wall so that the people did not notice when it was being built.
“How can they claim that the factory was built under a high fence? A factory that is about 15 metres high and sitting on about 15 plots of land, how can that be hidden?
“I must say that I am surprised that few people decided to go to press when we have been talking and working towards correcting the problem.
“I do not want to talk about the economic benefits of the factory to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anambra State Ministry of Environment has promised to investigate the allegation to ascertain whether the emissions posed a threat to the people and their environment.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Dr Felix Odimegwu, gave the assurance in an interview with NAN.
