NAN-H-2
Refuse
By Temitope Salami
Ijebu-Ode (Ogun), Oct. 16, 2016 (NAN) Mr Gbolade Oduwole, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government in Ogun, has warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the streets.
Oduwole, who gave the warning on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), called on residents to refrain from such act in order to boost environmental cleanliness in the council area.
He attributed the damage caused by flood during the rainy season to negligence and nonchalant behaviour of some residents to refuse disposal.
Oduwole said his administration was determined to strictly enforce environmental sanitation laws, urging residents to ensure cleanliness in their environment at all times.
The council boss, however, decried the delay in the evacuation of refuse on the median strips on some major roads in Ijebu-Ode.
He said that residents must contribute to the cleanliness crusade by adopting attitudinal change toward refuse dumping and street trading.
“Health is wealth. There are some things money cannot buy and among these is good health.
“Refuse disposal and collection is a major problem, I understand.
“ This is why my own idea for the successful management of refuse involves partnership with the private and public sectors.
“My plan is to divide my local government into five zones for the collection of refuse rather than just the random pick-up which tends not to be effective.
“The refuse collectors will go to the collection points in each zone and collect once a week.
“We will provide the conditions to enable partial or full public-private partnership to ensure efficiency in the refuse scheme we want to deploy.
“We will negotiate on behalf of the people to make sure the refuse disposal service is affordable so no one will have an excuse not to participate,” he said.
Oduwole reiterated government’s commitment to the environmental sanitation exercise, warning that appropriate measure would be taken against erring residents.
“Let me warn also that we will not condone indiscipline any longer with refuse management as anyone found guilty of illicit dumping will be fined and sanctioned.
“I don’t see any reason why we should not all have a dustbin in our homes, shops or workplaces and bring it out on collection day for refuse pick-up.
“Organisation is key in the effective management of refuse,’’ he told NAN.
The council boss reiterated that the present administration of Gov. Ibikunle Amosun remains committed to the provision of infrastructure and developmental projects for the benefit of all. (NAN)
TDS/IS/OJO
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(Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)