Nigeria: The Edo State Environmental Stakeholders, which include the State and local governments, market women, religious leaders, and community leaders, amongst others, have signed a 10-point resolution on keeping the State clean and green.
The stakeholder’s engagement on environmental sanitation and pollution control tagged: “Edo must be clean and serene”, was held in the new Festival Hall in Government House, Benin City.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Arch. Joshua Omokhodion, while appreciating stakeholders’ participation, sued for collaboration, which, according to him, is the veritable strategy to solve the challenges of waste disposal and untidiness in the State.
In his words, “The Governor in his wisdom said his aspiration is for Edo State to be the best place to work, do business and live in, before 2050.
To achieve this, the environment must play a pivotal role by being clean.
“Our focus is to take the State and show ownership of the land, ensuring the State is clean; as presently we are almost overwhelmed by dirt around our environment. A clean environment will promote a healthy business environment that makes businesses thrive in the State”.
Arc. Omokhodion revealed that a mobile court has been set up on environmental issues where offenders of the environment will be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to intending offenders or violators of environmental laws. He asked all to collaborate in order to achieve a cleaner environment.
Pledging his Ministry’s collaboration, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, said the Government will engage in large-scale enlightenment to orientate residents in the State on the seriousness of keeping Benin City clean and green.
“From today, we will embark on serious enlightenment on the need to keep Edo clean and green, alongside the penalty or punishment for offenders. We will release 24-hour emergency numbers, which you can call and report those who want to do things against the environment, and we will act immediately. The Government will prosecute anyone found guilty of the law against the environment “, he said.
On his part, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Monday Osaigbovo, urged the State Government to ensure that it prosecutes anyone who fails in their contractual agreement to keep the State clean. He admonished that local governments should take the issue of cleaning the environment seriously by punishing whoever wants to frustrate its efforts.
Similarly, the Commissioner for the Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development, Isoken Omo, encouraged the people to take ownership of their surroundings by playing their roles of desisting from the habit of throwing waste in drains when it rains, saying Government cannot do it alone.
A Civil society representative, Omobude Agho, called on the Edo State Government to bring back the Monthly Environmental Sanitation exercise as a way of keeping the State clean. He also urged the Government to do well to evict beggars along Mission Road and other locations in the City, as, according to him, they have become a menace to the State.
A representative of the Arewa Community, Kabiru Abbas, appreciated the Government for the initiative but blamed waste managers for the huge dumps which are visible in the State, saying they have failed to evacuate refuse from the streets, causing more challenges of pollution in the State.
The 10 points resolution on keeping Edo clean and green includes no indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roads, medians, or walkways; all markets to be kept clean or shut down; no burning of refuse as offenders will be apprehended and prosecuted/fined; no littering throwing out litters from vehicles; mobile Court being set up for this purpose; no noise pollution, amongst others.
Other top Government functionaries present at the event include Commissioners for Social Development and Gender Issues, Public Security and Safety, local government councils’ chairmen, officials in charge of waste disposal, market women Association, religious and traditional leaders, NURTW, CAN, waste managers Association, Students’ Union, Taskforce on environment, Civil society organisations, amongst others.
The high point of the stakeholders’ engagement was the signing of the 10-point resolutions on keeping the State clean and green by leaders of various groups and Unions present.