Ekiti State Government Warns Traders Against Violating Environmental Laws

The Government gave a stern warning in Ado Ekiti on Saturday morning during the June 2023 edition of the monthly sanitation exercise held throughout Ekiti State. 

The major markets were sensitized to the need to maintain a clean environment during the Environmental Sanitation embarked upon by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in Ado Ekiti.

The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Babatunde Alokan who led the Environmental Sanitation team comprising the Directors and Environmental Health Officers of the Ministry as well as Iyaloja of Ado Ekiti, market leaders among others, said there was a dire need to urgently embrace safe environmental habits by the residents of Ekiti State to have the quality living condition.

The visit to the popular Okesa markets held during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, thus, provided an opportunity to monitor the level of compliance of the residents of Ekiti State to environmental laws of the State

The permanent Secretary, Babatunde Alokan, while addressing the market traders delved into the benefits associated with living in a clean environment, noting that such culture could help in achieving a healthy and aesthetic environment for all and sundry.

He stated that indiscriminate dumping of refuse could unleash untold health and environmental disasters of unimaginable magnitude to the lives of residents and society in general.

“It is unhealthy to see the accumulation of refuse anywhere as it harbors vectors of diseases and epidemics. In this age as far as the environment is concerned, our desire for a clean environment represents a powerful sense of destiny and hope for the future.

“We urge the people of Ekiti State to imbibe the culture of clean environment and develop a strong aversion for a bad attitude like indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage and waterways which usually cause flooding.”

The State Coordinator National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency(NESREA)  Mrs. Iyabo Abosede averred that it was increasingly becoming impossible to isolate man from his immediate environment, be it natural or artificial, hence, the act of keeping a clean environment should be an act of collective responsibility for the residents of Ekiti State.

According to her, citizens must desist from the obnoxious act of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and other unfriendly environmental practices capable of destroying the ecosystem of the State, urging the residents to embrace the culture of proper waste disposal which could to a large extent, reduce environmental risks

“People of Ekiti State need to be mindful of their environment, that is what God has given us and we must value it. In a situation where people don’t want to oblige environmental laws and sanitation, we have enforcement agencies empowered by law to impose sanctions on such individuals,” she stressed

The Iya-loja of Ado Ekiti, Alhaja Abibat Ogunjobi expressed profound appreciation on behalf of the Government for the enlightenment warning. She pledged to support the Present Government and market men and women in complying with the environmental laws, and standard regulations of the State.

She further assured the Government that the market traders would henceforth, cooperate with waste contractors in ensuring regular, timely, and proper evacuation of their wastes.

Meanwhile, Mrs Arike Jegede one of the traders gave her verdicts on environmental sanitation that hence fort any traders who fall victim should be delved with accordingly.

Mr. Tunde Balogun encouraged the residents to sustain habits of cleanliness and make it a daily affair to ward off any form of diseases, Balogun appealed against dumping of waste in drainage and canal to avoid flooding.

“This is the rainy season, I want to advise the good people of our State not to dump their waste in drainage systems and canals because they will be blocked, and this will lead to flooding.