Oyo State government and stakeholders have agreed to sanction anyone caught dumping waste indiscriminately within the state, adding that environmental tribunals will be set up in earnest.
This is contained in a communiqué issued after an Environmental Advocacy Meeting with Stakeholders organised by Oyo State Government at the House Of Chiefs, Ibadan.
Speaking at the meeting, the Head of Service, Mrs. Ololade Agboola, urged citizens to shun the “unfounded rumours” that Governor Seyi Makinde had directed that refuse collection by waste collectors was free.
She added that it was the civic responsibility of every citizen in the state to take conscious effort in making the environment clean and safe, and as such, every resident should make provision for waste disposal drums within their domain.
She further appealed to residents to patronise authorised refuse collectors and pay them for the services they render.
“Politics should not be introduced into the management of waste disposal, hence there should be no dumping of refuse on the road median and other unauthorized places,” she added.
Mrs. Agboola further reiterated that tribunals and mobile courts would henceforth be operational, to sanction anyone caught dumping refuse indiscriminately.
Similarly the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Olusoji Oguntola, stated that stakeholders affected included the market men and women, transport workers, poultry farmers, pig farmers, artisans and other stakeholders found to be critical in terms of cleaningness of the environment
He added that the present administration had objected to the filthy environment and sought the cooperation of every resident to support the initiative of Oyo State in achieving a clean and healthy environment.
“The government has put in place various policies and programmes, most especially the appointment of refuse collectors for both commercial, industrial and domestic generators by way of promoting clean and safe environment,” he added.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju, emphasized the state government’s zero tolerance on illegal waste disposal.
To that end, he said, the government would be enforcing environmental laws to sanction offenders.
“The governor has graciously approved setting up of enviromental tribunals to punish offenders, but firstly there is need to mobilise the citizens on the dangers involved in unsanitary environment,” he said.
In her remarks, the President, Oyo State Council of Marķet Men and Women Leaders, Alhaja Amudat Iyadunni Lawal, appreciated the efforts of Oyo State government in ensuring a safe environment for all and sundry.
She also suggested that more environmental officers be employed to carry out the task at hand.
