The Edo State Government has commenced a massive evacuation of refuse across major streets and markets in the Benin metropolis, urging residents to complement the government’s efforts at ensuring a cleaner, greener and more sustainable environment.
The Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Engr. Jonathan Lawani, while monitoring the evacuation exercise in different parts of the Benin metropolis, warned against indiscriminate waste disposal and unhealthy practices that violate the state’s extant environmental laws.
He said the monitoring exercise was to ensure compliance by residents who had earlier been served with Abatement Notices, adding that the government will no longer tolerate indiscriminate dumping of refuse in any part of the state.
The commissioner urged residents to always properly package their wastes for ease of evacuation and patronize only accredited waste managers.
He appealed to the residents not to dump refuse in gullies and drainages as the dry season approaches, adding, “this would lead to blockage of drains and consequently, flooding.”
Lawani said commercial vehicle drivers provide waste bins for their vehicles noting that the government is putting measures in place to provide waste bins in strategic locations in the metropolis.
General Manager, Edo State Waste Management Board, Mr. Charles Imarhiagbe said that the state government will continue to sustain sensitization of residents on the dangers of indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
He urged residents to report any person or group dumping waste indiscriminately to the nearest Security Agency or call the following numbers 08101670790 or 08109670791 for arrest and prosecution according to the Extant Laws on Environment.