The Aba South Local Government Council has pledged to collaborate with the New Abia Clean Force for Ottivision (NACO) on environmental sanitation, amid calls for stronger public participation and sustained efforts to tackle poor waste disposal across communities.
The Executive Mayor of Aba South, Hon. Obialor Denis Anyanwu, gave the assurance on Friday when he received NACO officials at the council headquarters, promising to involve the council’s Health and Environment Department in activities aimed at promoting a cleaner environment.
However, the proposed partnership also underscores the need to translate public commitments into consistent sanitation practices, effective waste management and measurable improvements in environmental hygiene.
Anyanwu commended the group’s voluntary cleanup exercises and urged it to strengthen its collaboration with the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) to ensure better coordination and wider community participation.
He stressed that government efforts alone could not guarantee a clean environment without residents’ cooperation, urging the public to embrace responsible waste disposal and take greater ownership of their surroundings.
Earlier, NACO President, Comrade Onyekachi Benjamin, said the movement was established to promote civic responsibility, environmental awareness and voluntary community service.
Benjamin disclosed that the group participates in the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise, held on the last Saturday of every month, and follows up with public sensitisation campaigns.
He said NACO had carried out six cleanup exercises around Ehere Market, Opobo and Ogbor Hill, while establishing representatives in different parts of the state to expand its operations.
According to him, the visit was the movement’s first formal engagement with a government official, aimed at securing institutional support and building partnerships to strengthen its campaign.
The NACO president maintained that the group’s activities went beyond periodic cleanups to include public education, community mobilisation and advocacy for personal responsibility in maintaining clean surroundings.
The movement’s Vice President, Comrade Ojukwu Agu, reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the campaign, expressing optimism about ongoing changes in Aba, particularly in infrastructure and environmental sanitation.
Another member, Mrs Helen Okoronkwo, drew attention to the public health implications of poor sanitation, noting that dirty surroundings could expose residents to preventable health risks.
Okoronkwo, who cited her experience in the health sector and growing up in Aba, said her interest in environmental cleanliness and the improvements she had observed in infrastructure, sanitation and healthcare delivery motivated her involvement in the initiative.
The delegation also introduced the group’s brand ambassador, Mr Chima Anya, a content creator and founder of Chima Anya TV, whose online activities promote environmental responsibility.
The meeting ended with the presentation of a commemorative plaque to the mayor in recognition of the engagement.
While the council’s pledge signals an opportunity for closer cooperation between government and citizen-led organisations, the impact of the partnership will ultimately depend on sustained implementation, effective waste disposal systems and visible improvements in sanitation across Aba South.
