By Chuks Eke
Authorities of Onitsha North municipal council in Anambra state have warned inhabitants in the area that henceforth, anyone caught littering the environment with refuse/wastes would be dragged to the Sanitation court to serve as deterrent to would-be future offenders.
They insisted that the era of dumping refuse bins arbitrarily in unauthorized places has passed as the council would no longer tolerate such a social malaise.
Council Chairman, Hon. Onochie Ozoma who sounded the note of warning when he embarked on operation ‘Clean and Green Sustainable Anambra,’ at some flash points in the area, as directed by Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’ to the 21 council Area chairmen in the state to embark on constant sanitation exercise, further warned that offenders would not be spared.
Fielding questions from newsmen while desilting the deep drainage system in front of Queen of the Rosery College, QRC, along Oguta road, Onitsha, Hon. Ozoma lauded Governor Soludo’ for the initiative, recalling that in those days, Ndigbo were known for their cleanliness and wondered what has overcome them to now live a dirty life style.
“We are following the instruction of our principal, the governor, it was historic when he came to Onitsha to launch ‘Clean and Green Sustainable Anambra,’ operation, Igbos are known for cleanliness in those days, but now I don’t know what has overcome them that they now live a dirty life style”.
“What we are doing now is introducing cleanliness in our daily life. People now live their lives unhygienically. Those living along the drainages should learn to keep them clean, desilt the gutters so that the flood should flow smoothly,” he stated.
He lamented that the rampaging flood that comes from Awada, Ugwuagba layouts and Borromeo axis down to Oguta road causes the heaping of sand and waste in the gutters and drainages along Oguta road which in turn became environmental hazard to the residents and road users.
“Every flash point must be opened. We are not going to rest until we clear Onitsha of waste. I will always come to desilt the drainages. We will be abreast with the Clean Green Sustainable Anambra,’ exercise. We will be evacuating waste everyday and when you evacuate people will have in mind to pay their sanitation levy,” he assured.
