Fides Media Living the Faith
By Chizoba Anaekwe
The Anambra State Ministry of Environment has revealed plans to resort to Mobile Courts to check mate non compliance of some citizens to the monthly environmental sanitation excercise in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment, Architect Michael Okonkwo, who was represented by the Director for Environmental Health/Pollution Control, Mrs. Edith Ike, disclosed this to news men in Awka during the July, 2018 monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
Architect Okonkwo who commended the exercise for its compliance level, however noted that there was need for legal enforcement to forestall discouraging vehicular and pedestrian movements that tended to disrupt the exercise. ‘There must be some form of enforcement, as in the legal aspect of sanitation, to restrict such movements as people mostly understand the force language to get them do the needful,’ he said. He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to providing a safe, clean and healthy environment for the citizenry and urged all to assist government’s effort by complying with directives that would promote the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Stanley Nkwoka, applauded the success of the exercise. He however added that total surveillance of the exercise was restricted to Awka due to shortage of patrol vehicles and manpower.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Ruth Esedo, also commended the exercise though she hoped for better compliance from the populace in future sanitation exercises.
Reacting, the Manager of a booming fast food joint, Mr. Daniel Eze, commended the Government of Anambra State for steadily promoting cleanliness in the state.
He said his outfit had seized the opportunity to clean their restaurant and clear their surroundings. ‘Our customers like to eat in a clean environment. Cleanliness is next to Godliness,’ he added.
Places patrolled included Aroma Junction down to Amenyi; Arthur Eze Road; Eke Awka down to Amawbia; Unizik Junction; Ifite; Okpuno, among others.