The Abia State Government has intensified enforcement of environmental laws, arresting dozens of sanitation defaulters during the latest monthly clean-up exercise, while issuing a stern warning against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages and waterways.
Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna, delivered the warning on Saturday while monitoring the environmental sanitation exercise across Umuahia. He expressed satisfaction with the overall level of compliance in the state capital but noted isolated cases of non-compliance, particularly around Orie Ugba Market, despite repeated appeals to traders and market leaders.
Ogbonna attributed recent flooding incidents in parts of the state to the obstruction of drainage channels by residents who dump waste indiscriminately. He stressed that such actions endanger public health and property and will no longer be tolerated.
“Anyone caught dumping refuse into waterways or blocking drainages will face the full weight of the law,” the Commissioner declared. He announced that the government is considering the establishment of a Sanitation Court at major markets to ensure swift prosecution of persistent offenders.
The Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) and other relevant agencies continue to clear and maintain drainage systems across the state. Residents are urged to devote the designated three-hour sanitation period to cleaning their surroundings and to avoid disposing of waste in gutters at any time, especially during rainfall.
The Commissioner emphasised that environmental sanitation is a collective responsibility of all Abia residents, not solely the duty of government officials. He called on local government chairmen and community leaders to mobilise their people and sustain the clean-environment initiatives of the Alex Otti administration.
Offenders arrested during sanitation exercises are routinely arraigned before the Environmental Mobile Court, where those found guilty face fines, community service, or other penalties in line with Abia State environmental laws.