BY AUSTIN OYIBODE, Asaba
A total of 214 Deltans who violated sanitation laws were on Saturday arrested by the combined team of the Delta state ministry of environment, Delta state capital territory development agency, waste management board and taskforce on environment.
Led by the director general of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Chief Patrick Ukah, the combined team combed the state capital beginning from the Cenotaph in Okpanam road through to Abraka, leading to Onitsha, the business hub of Anambra state.
Among heads of ministries and agencies that carried out the exercise were DG of capital territory, Chief Patrick Ukah; permanent secretary, ministry of environment, Dr. (Mrs.) Minnie Oseji; Chairman of Waste Management Board, Mofe Edema; Chairman of taskforce on environment, Godspower Asiuwhu and Executive Assistant to the governor on beautification, Emmanuel Okpomor.
Beside the heads of the agencies and ministry involved in the sanitation exercise, four security agencies – Department of State Security (DSS), members of the Nigeria Police Force, Soldiers, and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps with Delta Hawk formed the security squad that accompanied the team.
While some were arrested and taken to mobile courts stationed in parts of the city, some were made to carry out sanitation along the Nnebisi road.
He said despite the declaration of sanitation for Saturday, July 26, many residents in the state capital did not comply with the law, mandating residents to stay away from the streets and keep their environments clean, within the hours of 7 and 10am.
Ukah, who said the team would revisit those business premises on Monday to compel the owners to clean up the place, said if they fail, the premises would be sealed up.
Ukah said: “People have not imbibed the culture of keeping their environment clean. We are not impressed with the behaviour of our people. People are still moving about with their children. They sre not seeing anything important in keeping their environment clean.
“Our joy is that we have been able to show some signs that it cannot be business as usual. We are not stopping until it becomes part of our culture as a people. We are happy we have started it. We are warning people and asking them to keep their environment clean.
“A lot have gone to court. All the agencies involved have all agreed that we are not sparing anybody. You only need to do one thing and that is keep your environment clean. If you do that, the state will be clean. The exercise will stop when people begin to comply.”
