Benin City – In a bid to sustain the beautification projects of the state Government and to ensure that the city is clean safe and healthy for living, the Hon. Commissioner of Environment and public utilities, Prince Clem Agba has led officials of the Ministry which includes G.M waste Management Board, Miss Gillian Ochugbue, the Chairman of Committee on Environment Comrade Mukhter Yusuf- Osagieamongst others to sweep, clear and evacuate refuse from the City Centre, Markets and major streets in Benin city recently.
The Hon. Commissioner who also swept noted that there is need for the environment to be clean always adding that it is paramount at this time.
He added that the operations is ongoing and will continue adding that after the yuletide the markets became so dirty given the fact that food items are gotten from the market hence the need to swing into action to evacuate debris generated and ensure that the environment is clean safe and healthy for human activities became necessary.
Prince Agba decried the attitudes of some residents who has defiled government warning of prohibition of illegal dumping of refuse especially those who are in the attitude of dumping refuse inside the drains, moats and un-authorised places noting that all warning given to them through various medium has not been adhered to adding that the only appropriate way to dispose our refuse is through Government Accredited Waste Managers anything other than that is illegal.
He warned that an enforcement team has been dispatched to arrest anyone found wanting adding that anyone caught forthwith will be arraigned before the Mobile Court and be prosecuted in accordance with the statutory law of Edo state Sanitation and Pollution Management Law No. 5 of 2010. Which states “No person shall dispose of refuse or waste except through a Waste Manager approved by the board or appropriate authority for the area where he resides or carries on business”
“it shall be an offence for any person to bury, burn or dispose waste in drains or moat”.
He however called on the people to cooperate with the State Government in sustaining the beautification projects of the state.