“Making Osun Clean is a collective responsibility” – Mayowa Adejoorin charges residents

The Osun State government has charged the people of the state to take responsibility in making their environment clear for healthy living.

This is revealed by the state Commissioner for environment and sanitation, Hon. Mayowa Adejoorin in his office on Tuesday in Osogbo, urging the people of the State to cooperate with the government in making the entire state refuse free.

Adejoorin who made this known while addressing journalists during a media parley organized by the environmental ministry under his watch, explained that it is the responsibilities of both the government and the masses to make Osun clean. He urged people to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse by the roadside.

In his words; “Our government under governor Ademola Adeleke is working round the clock to keep Osun clear by providing the need materials and manpower for our ministries, but the people of Osun must also help us by obeying rules and regulations of the government to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse which can lead to flooding.

“Osun is filled with a lot of water (rivers) and we are approaching the rainy season, so people must desist from dumping refuse on waterways, on the road and illegal dumping sites across Osun.

“Our people should obey rules and regulations of the government to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse, the indiscriminate dumping of refuse leads to flooding.

“We make a series of awareness campaigns through different channels to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse to avoid flooding from various homes and offices.

“In Osun State we are trying to prevent flooding from our different homes across the state.

“The Environmental health and sanitation, the waste management department and agency have been trying a lot to make sure our environment is clean but the attitude of our people most times make people see as if we are not doing the best.

“Our people despite all efforts on radio Televisions community interaction to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the road during the night.

“While everybody is expected to have a refuse bin in their home through Private Sector Partnership PSP, anybody that is apprehended by law enforcement agencies will be up for it. Our people should be responsible for cleaning their environment. They should know that the government means well for them.”

However, Anjoorin added that part of efforts to rid the state of dirtiness and indiscriminate dumping of refuse is the reintroduction of monthly environmental sanitation in the state, adding that reintroduction of environmental Marshals that will be in charge of the street cleaning across the 30 local government, including area office have also been approved by the governor.

According to Adejoorin, “To the glory of God, the governor has approved reintroduction of monthly environmental sanitation and we are starting by the end of the next month (April) which will be coming up every last Saturday of the month.

“Environmental Marshalls that will start working by the end of this month were also approved. You will see them in the streets both men and women cleaning and cutting grasses, you see them along the streets of the state,” Adejoorin added.

Speaking about the other efforts taken by the state government, the environment commissioner explained that dredging of some major rivers have started within the State capital to avoid flooding ahead of the rainy season. He added that the ministry is working to domesticate some approved refuse dumping site at each local government area while work is ongoing in sensitizing the people of Osun on climate, forest, open defication and environmental hazards.