The Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna expressed the mission of the Ministry to build on the successes recorded by the administration of Governor Alex Otti in the area of waste management.
To this end, he has disclosed plans of the Ministry to extend monitoring of the monthly sanitation exercise to all the 17 LGAs of the State, to ensure that all the nooks and crannies of the State continue to wear a new look in terms of waste management.
Addressing newsmen on Saturday after the Sanitation Exercise for the month of January, Ogbonna said through this, the State will correct the erroneous impression that Abia State is the dirtiest state in the country, adding that the Ministry will liaise with LG Mayors to deepen the exercise and achieve this objective.
He commended Abians for imbibing the spirit of keeping their environment clean, maintaining that today’s exercise is outstanding.
The Commissioner also used the opportunity to appeal to traders at Ahia Ukwu market Olokoro to key in to the mantra of keeping Abia State clean especially, their business Environment.
The Commissioner further revealed that the Ministry is working round the clock to ensure that it realizes the mandate given by Governor Alex Otti regarding making Abia the cleanest State in the Federation.
Also speaking, the Member representing Ohafia South State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly and House Committee Chairman on Environment, Hon. Mba Nwoko, lauded the turn out recorded during the exercise, calling on Abians to continue to Imbibe the spirit keeping their environment clean at all times.
Contributing, the Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency ASEPA, Umuahia Zone, Catechist Ambrose Jonah, said the exercise recorded huge success in places visited, appealing to Abians to continue keeping their environment clean as cleanliness is next to godliness.
A total number of 44 defaulters were arrested, 39 persons were prosecuted, 1 discharged as an essential worker, while 4 were discharged due to health challenge.
