The Edo State government has intensified activities to promote proper waste disposal practices as it clears more illegal dumpsites across Benin City, the state capital.
The General Manager, Edo State Waste Management Board, Charles Imariagbe, said the government will continue to sensitize residents on proper waste disposal as part of the Operation Clean Edo.
Imariagbe noted that the exercise is multi-pronged and will handle every facet of waste management in the State, adding, “Today, Saturday, we are on environmental sanitation exercise at Etete-axis on a zonal environmental sanitation exercise.
“We are trying to make sure that everywhere is kept clean in this area so we are embarking on a spot check to make sure the people are registered with the waste manager. Waste managers are regularly evacuating their refuse regularly, to sensitize the people and at the same time, warn them against any improper or indiscriminate disposal of refuse.”
“As we progress on this exercise, we make sure we clean up every black spot we come across and we make trucks available to evacuate the refuse but we must sound a warning that everybody in the state must comply with waste management best practices going forward.”
He said “This campaign is one that has come to stay. We are going to be intensifying our efforts in this direction and anybody that is found wanting as we are on this exercise will be prosecuted.
“We are sending notices based on the level of nuisance that we find, the ones that have to be abated immediately will be so given notices or done by ourselves and the ones that have to be given time for the nuisance to be abated will be done according to the time that is so stipulated.”
He urged residents, “Please join us to keep the city clean and anyone not willing to comply will be apprehended and prosecuted according to the law. The local government health officers are with us and they are going from house to house conscientizing the people.”
