Delta State Government has again expressed unwavering commitment and readiness to enforce compliance with subsisting laws on environmental sanitation in all twenty five local government areas of the state, to enhance clean environment and healthy lifestyle.
Chairman, Task Force on Environment, Chief Godspower Asiuwhu, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Asaba, while speaking as guest of Orientation Panorama, the Peoples program on Voice of Delta 97.7 FM, saying that the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has prioritized clean environment to keep Deltans healthy, active and productive.
He said the taskforce on environment comprising 315 Environmental Marshalls, security agents and vigilante groups would enforce compliance through arrest, prosecution and payment of fines, adding that landlords, business premises owners, hotel proprietors, and legal occupants of residential buildings must register with the government accredited Private Sector Partnership, PSP, for the proper evacuation of dirts and waste, going forward.
Asiuwhu warmed that the taskforce on environment is no respecter of persons, and would follow established procedures to enforce compliance and take steps further to arrest, prosecute and even seal filthy and dirty premises, saying that the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has charged the taskforce to ensure a clean Delta State.
He assured residents dumping refuse indiscriminately and in unauthorized placed during odd hours of the day, that there will be no hiding place for them, because local vigilantes have been directed to apprehend such deviants and hand them over to law enforcement agencies or the taskforce on environment for prosecution and payment of fines.
“The mandate given to the taskforce on environment is to keep Delta State clean, to ensure that landlords, legal occupiers of premises, owners of business premises, hoteliers, market associations comply with subsisting environment laws, while violators shall face the consequences of their actions or inactions.
“There are mobile Courts in place to try offenders and those found guilty are made to pay fines. We shall continue to intensity efforts in our strong determination to keep Delta clean, in line with the MORE agenda of governor Oborevwori.
“To keep our environment clean is even to our own advantage, because health is wealth. Dirty environment constitutes health hazards and this administration is doing the needful to promote healthy living, keep our environment clean.
“We don’t usually invade premises until something like dirts and filthiness draws our attention. The taskforce is allergic to dirty environment, and we shall not hesitate to diligently deliver on our mandate to keep Delta clean at all times.
“We don’t owe anybody apology for what we do as a taskforce, and you become our friend and ambassador if you comply and keep your premises and environment clean. It’s as simple as that. It’s our collective civic responsibility to keep our state and environment clean.
“Let me state this very loud and clear, no landlord, hotelier, legal occupants of residential property, members of market associations, traders, market women and defaulters of environmental laws are permitted to pay fines or money into the private bank accounts of any Environmental Marshalls or members of taskforce on environment.
“All fines and monies are to be paid directly to Government Treasury under the supervision of the Honourable Commissioner for Finance at the State Ministry of Finance, and the Accountant General’s office. Don’t pay a Kobo to any Marshal or government official.
“It is also important for residents and landlords to report any unlawful conduct of any Environmental Marshal to the taskforce. We do not condone any act of criminality, and the Marshals have been trained to adhere strictly to operational procedures and code of ethics.
“And no member of the public, landlord or legal occupiers of premises are permitted to assault any member of the taskforce or Environmental Marshalls. It’s unlawful to do so, it’s a no go area that attracts criminal prosecution of offenders.
“Assault is a crime and it attracts severe penalty under the law. And if you keep your premises and environment clean, no Marshal or taskforce team will visit your premises.
“We appeal to landlords and residents in the state to join hands with the state government to keep Delta clean,” Asiuwhu said.
Orientation Panorama on Voice of Delta Radio 97.9 FM is an initiative of Delta State Orientation Bureau in collaboration with Delta Broadcasting Service Asaba, to propagate the policies, programmes and achievements of the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori. It comes your way every Wednesday at 3pm on Voice of Delta Radio.
