Edeniyere Abraham Osose
The Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability and the Edo State Waste Management Board, in collaboration with Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), has intensified the Monday morning market environmental sanitation exercise, calling on market traders and shop owners to increase their level of compliance.
This was made known during the sanitation flag-off exercise at Uregbeni market, Ikpoba-Hill, Benin City, on Monday 21st August 2023, by the Honourable Commissioner, Arc. Joshua Omokhodion, alongside the General Manager, Edo State Waste Management Board, Mr. Osadebamen Charles Imariagbe, the Heads of Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas (LGAs), Mr. Kensington Osifo, and Mr. Henry Edenamigho respectively, Senior Health officers, amongst others.
Addressing newsmen during the exercise, Omokhodion appreciated the effort of the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, whose determination to bequeath the future generation with a clean and healthy Edo, that will become a tourist centre and attract both local and foreign investors, is transforming the Edo terrain into a beautiful scene.
The Commissioner emphasized the importance of the flag-off in Uregbeni Market, noting that Ikpoba-Okha has a nexus route between the State and the northern part of the country, as such, the area and the environment should be good-looking and attractive enough to tourists and investors that will help grow the State’s economy.
Speaking also, the General Manager of Edo State Waste Management Board, Mr. Osadebamen Charles Imariagbe, acknowledged the increasing rate of compliance by the market traders and shop owners, stressing the need to extend it to all other markets in other LGAs across the State, having seen the success recorded in Oredo.
According to Imariagbe, “We are moving on incrementally. Having been able to place a system in Oredo, we are in Ikpoba-Okha today and the HOLGA and the HOD are here. They have started something and if you look around you will see that some level of work is already going on and it is something we know they are going to improve on”.
“We have given them some lines of directives they have to work with to increase the capacity. Of course, the Board is going to support them with all the necessary tools wherever they need us to be. We have already pointed out the areas where there are gaps or loopholes, so we are working on that. We try to flesh them up as well, where they need our support. We have chosen Oregbeni as a place for the flag-off today because of the nature of the place, which is very key to us, and it is something we have been working on over time”.
“We want the people to be more involved in the cleaning process, so that subsequently, they can on their own carry out the exercise without being forced to do so”, Imariagbe added.
On his part, the Ikpoba-Okha LGA Head, Mr. Henry Edenamigho, who assured the people of his readiness to work towards making sure that the compliance level is high in order to make the State clean, also appreciated the State Government for such a laudable initiative to make Edo the pride of all.
Also speaking was the Oredo LGA Head, Mr Kensington Osifo, who stressed the need to have a mobile court across the markets in the City to prosecute those who have refused to comply with the directive for the early morning Monday market environmental sanitation, noting that it will help serve as deterrent to others who would like to flout the order.
