C'River Commissioner Threatens To Close Down Markets Which Violates Environmental Sanitation Laws ... Shares Seized Food Items To Orphanage Homes.
Hannah ARIKPO
Cross River state Commissioner of Environment Dr. Moses Osogi has threatened to close down the 'Urua Nyekiso' Ediba Qua market outlet opposite the Ika - Ika Oqua major market at the Calabar municipality for carrying out normal business operations during the September monthly sanitation exercise.
Commissioner Osogi, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bar. Rosemary Onah who led the sanitation team to monitor the exercise in different parts of Calabar, handed down the warning while briefing Newsmen shortly after monitoring the exercise.
"Everyone resident in Calabar , including the traders is expected to stay at home and clean their surroundings between the hours of seven to ten o'clock in the morning during sanitation days, if this trend continues the government will be compelled to close down business activities in this market".
Osogi warned. The Environment Boss, however, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance in other parts of the metropolis during the September sanitation exercise and remarked that urban development Authorities at the Central and Northern parts of the state were mandated to monitor and enforce compliance of the sanitation exercise at the rural areas while defaulters are prosecuted.
The Commissioner further lauded the state Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu for initiating the monthly environmental exercise deliberately designed to restore the Clean and Green status of Cross River as the cleanest state in Nigeria while appealing to residents to always comply and participate in the state sanitation programme.
The Consultant, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Eyo Orok Edet, also advised the women executive in charge of the Nyekiso Qua market to channel their grievances through the appropriate quarters rather than violate the state environmental rules.
General Manager waste management and disposal, Hon. Bassey Otudor, disclosed that prior to each sanitation exercise Contractors were mobilised to go round to evacuate refuse generated from the exercise while the agency plans to create awareness on proper waste disposal techniques to address cases where dirts are littered around empty dumpsters.
Senior Special Adviser on Environment, Hon. Magnus Ntui, observed that some persons take delight in either playing games or carrying out their keep fit routine during sanitation days and advised that such acts should be discouraged as the state sanitation monitoring team will make provision for massive arrest in next month's sanitation exercise.
Over sixty persons were arrested and prosecuted at a mobile sanitation court at the mobile filling station along Murtala Mohammed Highway, Calabar.
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The convicted offenders were fined between Three to five thousand naira each depending on the offence.
The sanitation team immediately distributed the seized food items to the Uwanse Motherless Babies home and the Holy Child Orphanage home along Bateba, both in Calabar.
