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Residents across Delta State on Saturday actively participated in the monthly environmental sanitation exercise as government authorities enforced restrictions on human and vehicular movement to ensure full compliance.
The exercise, coordinated by the State Ministry of Environment, witnessed the deployment of monitoring and enforcement teams to strategic locations across the state.
The state monitoring team was led by the Functioning Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Godwin Inone, while the Oshimili South Local Government team was headed by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Chinye Hobobo Uso.
To enhance compliance, mobile courts were positioned at key locations to prosecute offenders, while taskforce personnel mounted checkpoints at major intersections, including the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) axis and Ibusa Junction.
In Asaba, the state capital, compliance was notably high along major roads such as Okpanam Road, Nnebisi Road, and the bustling Ogbeogonogo Market area.
Residents were observed cleaning their surroundings, clearing drains, and properly disposing of waste, while movement restrictions were largely respected.
Speaking during the exercise, Mr Inone stressed that environmental cleanliness is a shared responsibility between the government and citizens.
He noted that although the government continues to create awareness and provide the necessary framework for effective sanitation, residents must take ownership of maintaining clean surroundings.
According to him, dirty environments serve as breeding grounds for diseases and pose serious health risks that could lead to avoidable illnesses and even loss of lives.
He described compliance with environmental sanitation laws as a preventive measure capable of reducing health-related challenges and unnecessary hospital visits.
The Permanent Secretary further emphasised the importance of the monthly sanitation exercise, especially during the rainy season when indiscriminate waste disposal can obstruct drainage channels and cause flooding.
He urged residents to register with approved Private Sector Participants (PSPs) responsible for waste evacuation, obtain suitable waste bins, and ensure refuse is properly bagged to facilitate efficient collection and disposal.
Also speaking, Hon. Chinye Hobobo Uso called on residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, noting that environmental cleanliness is vital for public health, environmental sustainability, and the overall beauty of the state.
She warned that violators of environmental sanitation laws would face prosecution through the mobile courts, adding that ignorance of the sanitation exercise is no longer an excuse since it is conducted on the last Saturday of every month.
Hon. Uso also encouraged residents to cultivate daily sanitation habits within their homes and communities, stressing that environmental cleanliness should not be limited to the monthly exercise alone.
The sanitation exercise reflects the Delta State Government’s sustained commitment to promoting environmental discipline, preventing disease outbreaks, and creating a cleaner, healthier, and more habitable environment for all residents.
