SANITATION:ABIA GOVERNMENT ARRESTS 34 PERSONS, BEGINS COMPLIANCE ENFORCEMENT

The Abia State government through the Ministry of Environment says it is going to fully enforce sanitary compliance in the state.

This is coming on the heels of two weeks awareness campaign launched by the ministry to sensitive the Abia population on the importance of of cleanliness.

Speaking to journalists after the monthly sanitation exercise held on Saturday, March 29, 2025, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Ikechukwu Oriuwa who spoke on behalf of the Commissioner, Philimon Ogbonna said the days of grace were over.

“We created a lot of awareness for the past two weeks, we did a lot of advocacy, sensitization but we observed that about 15% of Abians decided not to comply. And so, we have decided that from the coming week, we will use our enforcement agencies to ensure that people clean their gutters”.

“This exercise is not going to end today, we will continue to ensure that compliance is enforced,” he added.

Recall that Oriuwa, during the sanitation exercise for the month of February, said the government would apply the carrot and stick approach in implementing proper sanitation in the state.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the task force would swing into action to strictly enforce compliance while he charged local government Mayors to emulate the Mayor of Umuahia North local government area, Smart Ihuoma in ensuring cleanliness in their council areas.

“The days of carrot are over, we are going to enforce compliance”.

He described the exercise as a successful one, while appreciating the cooperation of Abia residents.

“From what we saw, Abians are cooperating, the exercise is a success”, he said.

Reacting, the member representing Ohafia South State Constituency, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Environmental, Hon. Kalu Mba Nwoke described the exercise as “fantastic”. While he singled out a particular furniture maker at Isị Court for commendable approach to the exercise, urged other Abians to tow the same line.

“That man, I must commend him and pray that every shop owner should tow the same line he has taken. Today is fantastic, today is a special day, unlike what it used to be in the previous exercise. It will always continue to get better”.

“Abia will get to a time where we don’t need to tell them again to come out and clean, but I know it is going to be a gradual process, because the last administrations were sleeping over it. Thank God for our governor who has taken it upon himself to make sure that he re-writes the story of Abia State from a stinking state to a state where you can even sleep on the streets of you so wish”, he concluded.

The exercise, dubbed “Operation Clean Your Gutters and Drains” recorded an average turn out. Thirty four defaulters were arrested, out of which four were discharged on health grounds.