Edo State Govt urges public to take responsibility for environmental safety
By Abraham Osose
The Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Arc. Joshua Omonkhodion has emphasized that the rain season is an opportunity to raise awareness about environmental responsibility, insisting that everyone must take responsibility of immediate environment, as household or corporate body.
Arc. Omonkhodion posited during a waste management sensitization and evacuation intervention in the Benin City Metropolis as organized by the Edo State Waste Management Board in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability that, the effort aims to address the persistent issue of indiscriminate waste dumping in public places and to implement effective waste management practices that will enhance the cleanliness and sustainability of the City’s ambience.
According to him, “The joint initiative highlights the importance of proper waste disposal and environmental stewardship in promoting public health and improving the State’s aesthetic appeal. This intervention is part of broader strategies to enhance waste management practices across the State”.
He also appealed to the public to be mindful of the rainy season and the harvest of various agrarian products, particularly corn, stating that residents must take responsibility for their environment and cautioned against people resisting the Law. “We are saying we do not want a situation where when our people come to certain places and are insisting that the place must be clean, there shouldn’t be any kind of resistance. If you do, that means you are running fowl of the law. If you don’t want to run fowl of the law, ensure that your environment is clean”, He cautioned.
In his remarks, Arc. Omonkhodion noted that the effort was part of the ongoing activities within the Ministry and the Waste Management Board, stressing the need to revive the “Edo Must Be Clean” campaign to address the status of cleanliness in the State. He asked residents to cooperate in keeping the City clean and pledged prompt disposal of waste by the Government.
The Commissioner cautioned residents to be law-abiding, as according to him, there are existing laws guiding environmental sanitation in the State, which would be implemented. He urged residents to cooperate maximally, saying the Government does not enjoy punishing violators. He concluded that health is the real wealth, which the exercise seeks to achieve.
Goodwill messages came from the Acting General Manager of the Board, Sandra Ehiozuwa (Mrs.), the Head of Compliance, Sanitarian Ab. Imade, and other senior officials, who emphasized the necessity of the initiative and the need for collective responsibility in maintaining the environment.
Mrs. Imade appealed to the public to properly containerize their wastes for easy collection, adding that waste is not flower for beautification but must be managed properly. She said that containerizing waste appears more orderly, urging everyone to cooperate by bagging their waste appropriately as the Waste Management Board is committed to evacuating such waste that is well bagged.
Teams present were the Enforcement, the Environmental task force, the Evacuators, amongst other relevant stakeholders.
