By
Ogbons Progress Chibundo
PRO, ESCSC
The Enugu State Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Sam Ugwu, has banned all unscrupulous persons who engage in scavenging and improper disposal of refuse at dump sites throughout the State, saying defaulters would be penalized henceforth.
The Commissioner drew the attention of the public to the new development while at Solid FM today, on the ‘new narrative’ programme recently launched by the Hon. Commissioner for Information, Aka Eze Aka.
Hon. Ugwu stressed that in line with the State government’s high expectations of the Ministry, which bothers summarily on effective management of environmental issues, his administration since assumption of office, 10 months on, have been able to successfully engage the ESWAMA, NEW MAP, amongst other Parastatals which it supervises, to accomplish statutory expectations.
Listing some of these accomplishments so far, he said, “when we came onboard, we had a volunteer who has helped to plant flowers at the Otigba junction, down to New Heaven Junction. We have also had trees planted by an assigned expert in the Zik Avenue area.
“The cutting of grasses is currently ongoing within the vicinity of Ogui, Okpara Avenue, Government House Old lodge, amongst other places, to help in beautifying the environment. We are not sleeping at all, Enugu must be clean. We are going to do everything to ensure that the people embrace the government.”
Some callers who called into the programme from Enugu, by name, Leonard, Uche and Emperor, complained about scavengers who also subject to stealing from people, younger boys who station regularly at the Open University, Nike Road dumpster, and the increased rate of mentally disturbed persons, as well as cattle rearing on the streets respectively.
In his response, Hon. Ugwu opined his administration has been able to come up with ‘Refuse Marshalls’, that is, designated persons who will be strategically stationed at all the dump sites in the state, to monitor any ongoing movement(s) around the area, and arrest ‘Scavengers’ who do not allow these sites to breathe.
He equally frowned against open refuse dumping, saying the value placed on cleanliness by such perpetrators, is seriously lacking, hence the ugly trend at non designated sites. He however noted the state’s environmental sanitation exercise which formerly held once a month but was stepped down, owing to earlier security issues being faced by the state, will be reactivated with legal provisions in place, to curb the disheartening situation to a stop.
He highlighted the administration of Gov. Peter Mbah has stepped up on security measures to ensure the safety of lives and properties, and also assured that the Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, has since been effecting the relocation of mentally disturbed persons to makeshift centers where they are catered for.
He pledged to communicate the complaints on exorbitant increase in house rent raised by some other callers in the state to the appropriate channel.
