By: Adeola Oladele, Ibadan
Henceforth, any environmental offender in Oyo State caught disposing refuse indiscriminately and street traders in the metropolis, would be strictly made to face the music.
The note of warning was sounded on would-be offender by Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Wednesday, during a public awareness campaign, organised by the state’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources to sensitise the state citizenry on the dangers and offences attached to indiscrimate dumping of refuse and street trading.
Gov. Ajimobi, however, reiterated his administration’s commitment to clean and safe environment in the state, adding that his government would no longer condone the act of street trading and dumping of refuse in streams and other water ways.
The governor noted the negative impression of the dirtiest city that the state was know for in the past, adding that neat environment enhances good state of health and therefore enjoined people of the state on need to be proactive to forestall the prevalence of deadly diseases.
The governor added that to ensure the inhabitants of the state comply with the environmental directive, the state government had instituted a law that would henceforth prosecute whoever that dump refuse or defecate on the road, dispose sewage in the rivers, selling on the highways and other environmental offenders.
Gov. Ajimobi said this was necessary to make the state one of the cleanest cities in Nigeria and to make it environmentally attractive to the investors.
He said: “When investors know we have clean environment, they will come and with the road construction networking we are doing, Oyo State will be a preferred destination for investors.”
“We are hereby sensitizing people of this state to join hands with the government to achieve the feat as one of the cleanest cities in the country.”
“I urge people to support the government because they are the government, I’m just the head of the government,” he added.
