Gov't Warns Residents Against Dumping of Refuse
(The State Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa Buge answering questions from Pressmen after the Sanitation excecise at Ministry headquarter, Ilorin, today.)
....charges stakeholders on compliance
The Kwara State Government has again warned residents of Ilorin metropolis, to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse to sustain healthy living among the people of the state, even as it charged stakeholders to comply with government directives on this.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa Buge stated this, while fielding questions from journalists, after the monthly sanitation exercise that took place across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state, over the weekend.
According to the Commissioner, " it is quite unfortunate and disheartening that, despite the sensitization and advocacy, on radio, newspapers and social media platforms, the ministry engaged to inform the public on the need to comply with the environmental laws of the state, some residents are still hellbent on indiscriminate dumping of refuse." Henceforth, whoever is caught, violating the environmental laws of the state will face the full wrath of the law." She warned.
She also reemphasized the need for the Ministry not to relent in its efforts at engaging relevant stakeholders, through the media and other means of public orientation, as a way of reminding the people that this administration is very much committed to the monthly sanitation exercise, scheduled for the last Saturday of every month.
She assured the public that, her ministry will strengthen its enforcement and sensitization efforts, in a bid to ensure a clean and healthy Kwara, for all.
On the success of this month’s exercise, the Commissioner said; "though the level of compliance is below expectations, but we ensured compliance without being harsh on the people. But anyone caught henceforth contravening the environmental laws will be dealt with, in accordance with the law."
She noted that the current spate of indiscriminate dumping of refuse is undermining government's efforts, therefore assured that adequate steps will be taken to ensure that culprits are punished accordingly.
“It is not as if our team is not working, but the fact that residents continually engage in indiscriminate refuse dumpling. We are however working out some strategies and very soon you will begin to see changes,” she assured.
The Commissioner who disclosed that presently there are 38 companies engaged as commercial waste consultants, to evacuate refuse from the nooks and crannies of metropolis, but lamented that patronage is very low, because, residents have refused to patronize them.
She then called on marketers to compliment government efforts at ensuring a clean and healthy environment.
Some of the dignitaries in the Commissioner's monitoring team include; Chairman, House Committee on Health and Environment, Hon. KipAbdulRazaq Owolabi, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Commandant Umar Jimada Mohamed and Kwara State Comptroller of Correctional Service, Danmairomu Shuib Ayodeji. Others are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Ayinla Abubakar, Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress, who is also the Director of Environmental Health Department, Ilorin South local government, Comr. Muritala Saheed Olayinka and principal members of staff, among many others.
Kamaldeen Aliagan,
Press Secretary,
MOE
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