By Kemi Olatunde
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Mobile courts which will prosecute offenders of the Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise in Ondo State will soon be put in place, order to guarantee a cleaner environment in year 2023.
Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Sunday Akinwalire disclosed this while addressing journalists shortly after monitoring the January edition of the exercise in Akure on Saturday.
According to him, offenders will undergo trial immediately after arrest by officials noting that government is determined to ensure that all residents comply with the exercise.
While stating that the Mobile court starts in March, 2023, he explained that government has put in place measures to ensure a neater state this year.
While frowning at the attitude of residents towards the exercise, he said that there was non compliance by many residents as there was both human and vehicular movement.
Commenting on NIMET prediction of heavy rainfall in some states including Ondo this year, he assured of government readiness to ensure that flooding doesn’t occur in the state saying “we have made adequate preparation to ensure that there is no casualty and loss of properties to flooding this year.”
He advised residents to desist from acts that could result in flooding including building or disposing water on water ways.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Bunmi Alade while speaking said that the Ministry is engaging in man to man advocacy in ensuring that residents key into the laws, adding that it is also engaging in enforcement to facilitates obedience to environmental laws.
General Manager, Ondo State Waste Management Authority, ( OSWMA), Mr. Fola Omowole who noted that the monitoring of the exercise will cut across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, explained that OSWMA will engage community associations in ensuring that they take proper care of the environment.
During the exercise, 142 violators were arrested with not less than 86 vehicles were forced to halt their journey to observe the hours of the exercise.
Earlier, some officials of OSWMA were assaulted by some residents at a joint in Isinkan Akure who refused arrest.
Also at a church in Alagbaka(names withheld), some young guys about 50 in number and on jerseys were caught in the midst of a football match.
Addressing the youths, Chairman, Committee on Waste Management, Mr. Kehinde Badejo stressed the need for them to obey constituted authority as stated in the Bible adding that they should always provide leadership in carrying out the exercise in their homes.
Bus stops in Akure were kept in good shape as some officials were on ground to put them in shape by cleaning the surroundings of the places.
