A total of 114 defaulters have been arrested during the monthly clean up exercise for violating the Environmental Sanitation Exercise basic law in Abia State.
This was made available to newsmen in Umuahia by the Public Relations unit of the State Ministry of Environment.
According to the release, the defaulters were picked on the road and in their business premises and brought to Abia State High Court where a mobile court was sitting
According to the release also, four (4) defaulters were discharged based on health grounds by the Presiding Magistrate, Onyinyechi Chinenye Ibekwe, while a total number of 76 persons were prosecuted.
Interacting with newsmen shortly after monitoring the exercise in Umuahia, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, Commissioner for Environment, who assured that the State will not relent in the task of boosting the environmental health and aesthetic value of the state, enjoined the citizens and residents to use the three (3) hours mapped out for the exercise to clean up their surroundings.
He said that the exercise should be the responsibility of every Abian as Abians collectively yearned for a new Abia.
Furthermore, he appreciated the effort of the new Mayor of Umuahia North Local Government Area, Chief Smart Iheoma and the Chairman, House Committee on Environment and Urban Renewal, Chief Mba Nwoke, who is also the member representing Ohafia South State Constituency, which he said has added a momentum to what the exercise used to be.
In his speech, the member representing Ohafia South State Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Environment, Chief Mba Nwoke expressed delight that the effort of the state to make Abia wear a clean and green outlook is never in vain.
Speaking also, the Mayor of Umuahia North, Chief Smart Iheoma enjoined the citizens and residents to be proactive in things that affect Environmental cleanliness and personal hygiene.
He maintained that the issue of cleanliness should be everyone’s business and securing human life should be far more better than generating revenue.
He disclosed his administration would be ready to step on toes to maintain and sustain sanity in the capital city of Abia State.
