Maintain proper sanitation, Ogun urges border communities
The Ogun State Government has called on residents of its border towns, including Ojodu-Abiodun, Denro, Ishasi, Alagbole-Akute, Lambe, and Ijoko, to embrace proper environmental sanitation and hygiene.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ola Oresanya, gave this advice during an environmental tour of new road infrastructure in the area.
The tour was a follow-up to Governor Dapo Abiodun’s recent inspection visit and was conducted alongside a combined team from the Ministry of Environment, Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, Ogun State Waste Management Authority, and officials from Ifo and Ado-Odo Local Governments.
This was contained in a Thursday statement from the state government, titled, “Ogun Counsels Residents Of Its Border Towns To Embrace Proper Environmental Sanitation And Hygiene.”
Oresanya emphasised the importance of community involvement in maintaining the integrity of the road infrastructure.
He stated, “The residents and the Community Development Associations (CDAs) of these towns must monitor and ensure that wastes are not dumped on the drainage channels of the road infrastructure to prevent them from being clogged, thereby constituting an environmental nuisance to them.
“They must also stop illegally channelling wastewater from their homes onto the newly constructed roads.”
He further charged the CDAs with preventing residents from obstructing drainage channels with planks and containers under the guise of creating spaces for home trading.
“The CDA, as the first responder, must equally prevent residents, especially those on the roadsides, from placing planks and containers on the drainage channels.
“This will reduce the lifespan of the drainage system as it will inhibit the free flow of erosion during the rainy season. Government cannot be everywhere,” he stressed.
Oresanya also urged residents to provide covered waste bins in their homes and patronise certified waste collectors assigned to their communities instead of relying on waste cart pushers, which could lead to improper waste disposal.
He reiterated the need to stop wastewater channelling from homes onto the roads, warning that such practices would degrade the infrastructure over time.
Additionally, Oresanya assured residents that the government would clean up and beautify the setbacks of the newly constructed roads to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the border towns.
He also called on “retail and wholesale businesses in the area to avoid noise pollution, which could negatively impact residents’ well-being.”
Supporting the state’s position, the Chairmen of Ifo and Ado-Odo Ota Local Governments, Idris Kusimo and Wasiu Lawal, respectively, reaffirmed their commitment to enforcing environmental laws within their councils.
They pledged to “uphold environmental safety and hygiene standards.”
In appreciation, the Chairman of the Ifo Community Development Committee, Alhaji Akangbe Olatunde, commended the state government for its infrastructural development in the border towns.
He pledged the committee’s resolve to embark on a massive environmental awareness campaign to safeguard the newly provided infrastructure from environmental hazards.
