No fewer than 96 persons have been arrested for violating environmental sanitation laws across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State.
Abubakar Mohammed, Chief Prosecutor Officer ministry of Environment and Natural Resources disclosed this while addressing journalists shortly after the November sanitation exercise in Lafia, the state capital on Saturday.
According to him, the offenders were apprehended for transacting their private businesses while the sanitation exercise was going on in the state.
The Chief Prosecutor, however, explained that their actions violated the provisions of section 9 (2) of the State Environmental Sanitation Law.
He maintained that the defaulters were prosecuted by various mobile courts at their respective LGAs to serve as a deterrent to others.
Meanwhile, Nasarawa State Government said it has concluded arrangements to revitalise two waste recycling plants in Lafia and Karu Local Government Areas (LGAs), of the state.
Christopher Abari, Secretary, Nasarawa State West Management and Sanitation Authority, announced in an interview with journalists in Lafia, the state capital.
The Secretary stated that the plants, situated in Angwan Rere of Lafia and Auta Balefi in Karu LGAs have been underutilised, but the state government is set to restore them to full operation.
He, therefore, narrated that activities at the recycling plants had been low, but efforts were underway to revitalise them and start recycling waste.
Abari further explained that the revitalisation of the plants was part of the state’s efforts to improve waste management, reduce pollution, and promote a healthy environment.
The Secretary explained that the plants would be equipped with modern equipment and machinery to enable them to process waste efficiently.
He also added that the agency has distributed different sizes of waste bins in strategic locations across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state for the dumping of refuse.
His words, “Our staff have continued the regular evacuation of waste at the dumping sites and urged the public to always bring out the waste to the designated refuge sites for evacuation to prevent the spread of diseases.”
Abari used the medium and urged members of the public to always keep their environments clean to guard against the outbreak of all diseases.
“If the environment is kept clean, it will guard against a possible outbreak of any disease, thereby ensuring improved healthy living of the people,’’ he stated.
The Secretary, however, expressed joy with the level of compliance by members of the public during the November sanitation exercise and appreciated the support from security agencies, traditional rulers, and the media.
From Umar Muhammed, Lafia
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