BENIN CITY- The General Manager, Edo state waste Management Board Gilian Ochugue has commended members of Living Faith Church (aka) winners chapel) for joining hands with the Ministry of Environment and the state government in rendering community service with the clearing of damages and refuse along the Agip, in Sapele Road, Benin City.
Ochugbe made the commendation during a question and answers session with newsmen while monitoring weekends statewide monthly sanitation exercise in Benin City and its metropolis.
The general manager observed that illegal dump sites have been created in different parts of the state including Andrew Wilson Estate by those whom she added, do not wish the state government well.
She said her board was determined to clear such illegal dump sites, while urging security agencies and other stakeholders to engage country policing as well as arrest any person caught flouting government rules on sanitation.
“We have put men, materials and equipment on ground to clear the illegal dump site at Andrew Wilson Estate in Sapele road.
“I want to commend the state government for showing concern about what happened to the environment which is why we have been mobilised to be in the street to keep it clean. More men are in different locations in the state to evacuate refuse and ensure that the state is kept clean” she concluded.
Speaking with The NIGERIAN OBSERVER on the illegal dump site created at Andrew Wilson Estate along Sapele Road, a resident in the area and secretary to the Head of Service, Mr. Tony Okoidigun said the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the area has led to blockage of the draimage which has brought threat of erosion in the area.
“The offensive odour is another issue we face in this area and people who do this, do it at the middle of the night or when people have gone to work.
“We are very happy to see men of the Ministry of Environment evacuating the refuse here and we know that when all the refuse is evacuated, we will sleep well again”.
Mr. Okoidigm thanked the state government for rescuing them from the offensive odour they face daily due to the illegal dump site created in the area and called for stiffer punishment for those caught dump waste indiscriminately at any unauthorised site across the state. “I want to call on our waste mangers to report anyone around this area who is not co-operating with them and such people should be serve violation notice through the ministry” he added.
