Polycarp Sola-Abakaliki
The Commissioner for the environment, grant, and donor agencies in Ebonyi State, Dr. Richard Nnabu has assured of his ministry’s willingness to sustain the monthly sanitation exercise in the State.
Dr. Nnabu gave the assurance, Saturday in Abakaliki the State capital while assessing the just concluded exercise which was conducted across the state towards ensuring a safe and clean environment.
“Before now there were some challenges, the ministry could not continue the monthly sanitation, however, we’ve been able to address those challenges, we resumed in September, and we had a 99% success, and we have decided to continue with the exercise every Saturday of every month.
“We have realized that the citizens are happy, because they have been yearning for it, and that September exercise gave us encouragement to continue”. Nnabu said.
The Commissioner added that the just concluded exercise was extended to the suburbs, and said it would subsequently be taken to the local government areas across the state to engage more participation.
“Even though we have not been able to cover everywhere, today, we moved down into the outskirts of Abakaliki and expect that subsequent exercise would be taken outside the state capital“. he explained.
He called on the members of the public to cooperate with the ministry in keeping the state clean while commending their participation in the just concluded exercise.
While reacting, One of the observers, Dr. Kelechukwu Okezie, who is the Director of the Neighborhood environment watch foundation, commended the effort of the ministry of environment for ensuring that sanitation exercises resumed in the State.
He noted the importance of environmental management to the health and sustenance of the environment and development of the society.
“For a long time it was abandoned, and a lot of people reversed to negative behavior, with this reintroduction, I think the consciousness that people should take sanitation as a serious business“.
He applauded the State Government for keeping a clean environment and called for more sensitization to enable everyone to participate without being forced to do so.