….as court fines 52 sanitation offenders during January sanitation exercise
By Editor
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources,Erelu Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, has urged residents to take environmental cleanliness as a collective responsibility, describing a clean environment as essential to public health and sustainable development.
Aluko-Ajisafe made the call during the January edition of the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise, which was observed across the state.
She reiterated the state government’s ban on the use of styrofoam disposable food containers, warning that the material poses serious health and environmental risks.
According to her, styrofoam is non-biodegradable and remains a major source of environmental pollution.
“It blocks drainage systems, contributes to flooding and releases harmful chemicals when used for hot food, which poses serious health risks to residents,” she said.
The Commissioner urged residents, food vendors and event organisers to embrace safer and environmentally friendly alternatives, noting that strict compliance with the ban would significantly reduce waste pollution and improve environmental hygiene in the state
She also commended environmental health officers and relevant non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for their support of the monthly sanitation exercise, urging them to continue to discharge their duties with professionalism.
“Enforcement must always follow due process, and officers should avoid taking the law into their hands,” she said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Sunday Omoya, encouraged environmental health officers and NGOs to sustain their commitment to the sanitation exercise, noting that their consistency had contributed to its effectiveness across the state.
Similarly, the State Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Mr Ayodele Aluko, advised residents to make sanitation a daily routine to guard against the outbreak of epidemics.
According to him, prevention is better and cheaper than cure.
Meanwhile, enforcement activities during the exercise led to the arrest and prosecution of 66 defaulters for non-compliance.
Out of the number, 14 persons were pardoned, while 52 offenders were fined by the sanitation court.
