Otu faults Ayade's Strategy On Environmental Safety
By Victor UDU
The immediate past administration of Sen. Prof Ben Ayade may have erred in making the issues of waste disposal purely a government affair.
His Excellency, Senator Bassey Otu revealed during his interaction with the media to mark 100 days of his administration that the decision has negative impacts on government sanitation efforts.
Otu informed the media that his predecessor didn't differentiate between private and public waste and thereby completely putting the load on government.
Otu however observed that Ayade may have done so not minding the weight because of his humane and kind disposition to tackling issues that bother on the welfare of Cross Riverians.
He said just like government has a responsibility to handle public waste, the individual homes and businesses have a responsibility to handle private waste at least up to an extent before government comes in.
He disclosed that the previous administrations before Ayade were concious of the duties of the citizens in this regard and apportioned certain duties like the payment of a token to purchase waterproof bags among other demands to convey refuse to bins which didn't exist during Ayade's era.
Governor Otu admitted the enormity of the problem as huge government allocations are going into sanitation.
He said trying to bring back the state to it's former status of the cleanest state is a herculean Task which his government shall achieve with the cooperation of residents.
The governor called for a change of attitude from residents to support government in achieving the neatness so desired.
Governor Otu told the members of the press that arrangements have reached advanced level to move the dump site from it's present location at Lemna and also proposed a return of the sanitation courts to enforce waste disposal laws as measures geared towards handling waste in Calabar.
Reactions from residents as to the status of Calabar, the state capital have been unpalatable and The Beagle news for obvious reasons may not publish them but what is certain is that citizens are in a hurry for this administration to take the state black to the glorious days of His Excellency, Governor Donald Duke who took the state out of obscurity to lime light on virtually every aspect of development.
A resident, James Anko said we want our city, Calabar back with it's clean, green and luscious vegetation, fine street lighting and clean drains.
Anko appealed to the government to take issues of beautification and esthetics seriously especially that the Carnival Calabar is by the corner.
