A clean and healthy environment promotes the wellbeing of its residents –Arc Joshua Omokhodion.
The Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Arc. Joshua Omokhodion has assured residents of Edo State on the willingness of the State Government to bequeath an environment that is safe, clean and healthy in order to ensure the wellbeing of its citizens.
The Commissioner who gave the assurance during a meeting with the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA) and Heads of the Environmental Health Departments from the eighteen Local Government Councils across the State in the Ministry’s premises in Benin City explained that, the Local Governments being the engine room of the people are partners in progress with the Ministry in ensuring that Edo State remains a healthy one, devoid of refuse.
He noted that the meeting was to interact with the HOLGAs on best practices which would ensure a clean and green State for the benefit of residents, adding that the people of Edo State need to own the environment by engaging in healthy environmental practices.
Arc. Omokhodion further stated that, The Obaseki led administration had provided the necessary infrastructure for its citizens and it is the responsibility of all to take care of them, hence the series of meetings held with various environmental stakeholders in order to ensure sustained healthy environmental practices for Edo State.
In his words, “as a Ministry, we cannot achieve a clean environment of our dreams if we do not engage the drivers of governance at the grass root level which is the Local Government”.
The Commissioner reiterated the need for the reintroduction of the weekly market sanitation in the State, using Oredo Local Government Area as the pilot Local Government, adding that the monthly exercise would also be reintroduced with a task force made up of Ministry Officials and various market unions monitoring and arresting environmental offenders who dump refuse indiscriminately in market places and their environment.
Responding, the Head of Local Government Administration, Oredo Local Government Council, Mr. Kensington Osifo appreciated the Commissioner for the meeting, applauding him for the steps he had taken so far in ensuring the cleanliness of the State.
He further appealed for the Ministry’s support in the approval and provision of tippers and manpower in the evacuation of wastes after sanitation exercises.
Similarly, the Commissioner held a meeting with the Coalition of Traders and Artisans in Edo State, assuring them of Government’s readiness to collaborate with them so as to have a lasting solution to the challenge of waste management in the State.
The leader of the executive members of the union, Mr. Collins Ohizu explained that the Union was in the Ministry to interact with the Commissioner with the aim of profering a long lasting solution to the menace of indiscriminate refuse disposal in the State.
Evelyn Unuigbe
Media Officer,
Ministry of Environment and Sustainability.
