- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
Residents of Ekiti State have been charged by the Commissioner for Environment, Chief Mrs Tosin Aluko Ajisafe to be law abiding, particularly in keeping the environmental sanitation laws and maintaining a clean, healthy and aesthetic environment.
The Commissioner made the charge at the September edition of monthly environmental sanitation exercise, following the arrest and prosecution of thirty-three persons who flouted state environmental sanitation laws.
Chief Mrs Aluko stressed that awareness, advocacy and advertisements have been ongoing on almost all the media outlets in the state on the need for residents of the state to observe the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
She further hinted that the Chairmen, Ado Local Government, Chief Bosun Osaloni, Chairman, Ado West LCDA, Hon. Taiwo Alagba, Ado North LCDA, Hon. Yomi Oso and Ado Central LCDA, Engr. Toyin Ojo as well as Iyalojas and Iyalajes were invited to her office to form synergy with the ministry on compliance of the sanitation exercise.
“We have been sensitizing people through radio jingle to desist from contravening Environmental laws, getting to the market after the warning, we are shocked because we met more than five thousand people who came from different Local governments to display their goods” she explained.
Aluko urged the populace to assist the Biodun Oyebanji-led administration in keeping a clean environment and emphasised that the administration is dedicated to making sure that the environment is safe and free from disease.
The Commissioner voiced her disgust at the poor level of adherence to the monthly cleanliness practise by the traders at Okesa market in Ado Ekiti and issued a warning that going forward, stiffer penalties would be meted on those who violate environmental sanitation laws.
Mr. Gold Adedayo, the Commissioner’s teammate from the Ministry of Youth Development, said the activity requires cooperation with other MDAs, which is why he chose to participate in the monitoring exercise with Aluko. In order to stop a disease breakout in the state, he stressed, preemptive measures must be done.
Adedayo urged the youth in the state to work with the administration to ensure a healthy environment.
Contributing, the Director, Environmental Health and Sanitation, Mr Tunde Balogun noted that tasks force in charge of the monthly exercise would not relent at arresting and prosecuting any culprits.
He said people should be conscious of keeping their environment clean by desilting their drains as well as doing other necessary things that are needful.
“You don’t need to wait until law enforcement agents push you around before you comply with the norms, environment is for everybody and whatever you put into environment is what you get” Balogun added.
In the interim, a Magistrate Court heard the case of the 33 defaulters who were found commuting within the Ado-Ekiti city.
The defaulters broke the Ekiti State Environmental Sanitation Law, the Magistrate Olubunmi Bamidele stated in her judgement. As a result, she gave them a month’s jail time with the option of a #5,000 fine.
Top government officials who monitired the exercise alongside the Commissioner for Environment included; Special Adviser, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery, Dr. Ekundayo Moyo; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Babatunde Alokan; General Manager, Ekiti State Waste Management Authority, Engr. Ayoola Osalusi.
