100 Sanitation Offenders Gets Punishment In Delta

In ensuring a holistic realization of the stronger Delta as envisioned by the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the Ministry of Environment, has cracked down on the last sanitation defaulters to keep the state capital clean.

Not less than 100 persons arrested at several points in the city between 8:00 and 10: 00 am, were made to render community services by sweeping, picking and cutting overgrown grasses.

Addressing newsmen during the exercise, the Commissioner in charge of the ministry, Mr Chris Onogba, decried the poor attitude of Deltans towards environmental sanitation exercise and enjoined Deltans to take responsibility for the cleanliness of their environment.

“We must begin to take ownership of our environment, let us make the environment a part of our lives. We have a distorted value system otherwise; our environment has so much to say about us. We cannot say we want a stronger and better Delta State in a dirty environment.” Mr Onogba said.

The Environment Commissioner stated that the exercise which was described by many as successful would be taken beyond the state capital to other parts of the state, stressing that the improved general sanitation observed in the state on the last Saturday of every month would be sustained.

“We have a target and there is a place we are taking Delta State to especially as it concerns our environment. We want to clean up the state no matter whose ox is gored and we are determined. Once our environment becomes cleaner, it becomes safer and better for us all.” He said.

During the exercise commenced from Ekukumeku roundabout through Summit Road to Abraka axis and Nnebisi road before terminating at Okpanam Road saw scores of defaulters apprehended and tried by the mobile courts, while illegal structures were demolished and refuse evacuated by the authorities.

Meanwhile, the commissioner and his team visited the Anwai River which was earlier flooded and posed a threat to fish-farmers in the area to desilt the river to allow it flow unhindered into the River Niger.

The exercise which was lead by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Chris Onogba, in Asaba also involved authorities from Oshimili South Local Government Area, environmental taskforce, private sector waste mangers and security agencies.