Abia State government has expressed worry over the failure of some residents to cooperate with the authorities in maintaining a clean and healthy sanitary environment.
This is even as it has warned that sanitation/waste disposal offenders are to be prosecuted and if find guilty punished according to extant laws.
This much was disclosed on Wednesday September 6, by the General Manager of the Abia state Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency, ASEPA, Ogbonna Okereke while addressing members of Aba Land Lords Protection and Development Association, ALPADA, during their monthly meeting in Aba.
The ASEPA boss lamented that despite concerted efforts being made by the Governor Alex Otti’s administration to enhance the sanitary conditions of most cities in the state, through the provision of all the needed material and human resources for effective and healthy waste disposal culture, some people have refused to key into the system.
He noted that despite providing enough waste disposal buckets, otherwise known as receptacles, some residents still dump refuse on the ground, adding that such attitude constitutes a potent threat to the determination of the present government to ensure a healthy and clean Abia cities.
According to Okereke, ASEPA in the face of this unhealthy development, will soon commence an enlightenment campaign on the need for residents to cooperate with the authorities, even as he has warned that government will not hesitate to wield the big stick against unrepentant residents.
Sanitation offenders, Mr Okereke said will be slammed with fines, and or imprisonment or both.
He, therefore, appealed to APALDA members to use their position as major stakeholders in the keep-Abia-Clean crusade to sensitize residents on the need to cooperate and partner with the government in its avowed determination to positively change the face of Abia State.
“As a responsible and responsive administration, we are appealing for the cooperation of Abians in ensuring that we birth a new and working Abia. We are calling on you Aba land lords to carry this message of hope to all Aba residents and beyond,” ASEPA boss stated.
President-General of APALDA, Sir Alphonsus Udeigbo promised that the Association will assist and partner with the government in not just in the area of maintaining a healthy sanitary condition, but moving the state to the next level.
The Umbrella body of Aba landed property owners further called on Gov Otti to investigate the where about of the over N16 million, it paid as rents/taxes to the Abia State government last year, noting that information available to it indicates that the said money find its way into private pockets instead of that of the authorities. Sir Udeigbo said that APALDA as a group is happy that the current Abia State government has so far kept faith with its campaign promises to the people of Abia State.
