By Our Correspondent
The Awka South Local Government Council has launched an intensive enforcement and public awareness campaign to maintain a clean and healthy environment around the newly constructed Anambra State Government House.
This initiative comes in response to growing concerns over indiscriminate waste disposal in the vicinity.
Executive Chairman of Awka South, Prince Chinedu Okafor, led a team of sanitation officers to the Government House and its surroundings, warning against illegal dumping of refuse.
“Anyone found dumping refuse indiscriminately will be fined ₦50,000,” he stated. Okafor emphasized that maintaining a clean environment is a top priority, especially given the elevated status of the new Government House, dubbed the “Light of the Nation.”
The Council discovered several illegal dumping sites around the new Government House and has begun clearing them.
Okafor assured that after the awareness campaign, full enforcement would commence. “This place must be clean and orderly,” he said.
To facilitate proper waste disposal, the Council will strategically place waste bins throughout the area.
Okafor warned scavengers who rummage through bagged waste in search of scrap metal that they would also face fines of ₦50,000 if caught tampering with properly bagged refuse at designated sites.
The Mayor urged residents to bag their waste properly and ensure timely payment of sanitation fees through the official council account.
He cautioned against making cash payments to individuals, stating, “Anyone who gives cash to an individual claiming to collect sanitation fees has simply gifted them money.”
Comrade Osita Obi, Convener of the Recover Nigeria Project, expressed strong support for the council’s efforts, praising the Mayor for his proactive response. “No one has the right to generate waste and discard it on the streets,” Obi said.
Mr. Okechukwu Ndigwe, Coordinator of the Debe Awka Ocha sanitation initiative, emphasized the urgency of the clean-up. “Our top priority is to evacuate all accumulated waste, and this will be done daily, every morning,” he said.
Ndigwe announced that a comprehensive awareness campaign would begin next week, focusing on waste management practices and the importance of timely sanitation payments.
The Council is committed to keeping the environment spotless, with plans to employ more street sweepers and deploy additional waste receptacles across Awka South. Defaulters will face appropriate sanctions after the sensitization campaign.
