‘Akures gateway to wear new look’

By Kemi Olatunde
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For contravening environmental law, Ondo State Government yesterday in Akure sealed off Captain Cook, a popular eatery in Alagbaka, Akure, the State capital.

The eatery was discovered to have a heap of waste directly at the back of the premises according to the Director, enforcement and enlightenment, Rev. Mrs Ayo Adeyemo.

She revealed to The Hope that enforcement officers of Waste Management Authority sealed up the place for not maintaining clean environment.

This is just as traders along FUTA North Gate have been compelled to henceforth partake in the weekly sanitation exercise or be stopped from trading there.

This was the submission of the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Waste Management Authority, Mrs. Bola Akinyanmi while leading a team to monitor and enforce the sanitation exercise in Akure yesterday.

According to her, it is important that the location wears a neat look noting that it is one of the entrances into the state capital.

While frowning at the various illegal dump sites noticed in the area, she stressed the need for them to be removed.

Akinyanmi while responding to the words of a food vendor, Mrs Opeyemi Owokole who alleged that some officers extort money from them, explained that no officer from the authority can collect money for offences and advised that people pay money for waste management offences to government and not to individuals.

Akinyanmi while inspecting some properties and shops along Oyemekun road frowned at the dirty environment of the buildings especially shops including a popular pharmacy and noted that they lacked the prescribed dustbin for waste containerisation.

The Permanent Secretary who urged the people to ensure regular payment of service charge to waste collectors, however added that the process of registering waste collectors is on going so as to send them to areas presently without waste collectors.

She thereby called on the people of the state to embrace healthy living by keeping their environment clean.

Also speaking during the exercise, Director, Enlightenment and Enforcement, Rev. Mrs. Adeyemo while addressing some workers at a scrap site along Oyemekun road explained that it is important that people obtain receipt after payment from waste collectors.

However, she advised that the waste collection cards must have the names of owners boldly written at the back of the cards.

The team also visited shops along FUTA south gate area where most of the shop owners lacked the prescribed dustbin, maintained bushy environment and also engage in illegal dumping of waste.

It was observed that most shop owners were forced to tidy their environment. Also those whose goods extended to the road were cautioned.

Speaking with The Hope, a shop owner who doesn’t want his name to be in print noted that the illegal dump site is being used by outsiders.