Sanitation: Abia Government Approves N200,000 Monthly Imprest For Health Officers

The Abia State Government has through the Ministry of Environment announced the approval of a monthly two hundred thousand naira (₦200,000) imprest for all Heads of Environmental Health Officers in each of the seventeen local government areas in the state.

The Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Philimon Ogbonna made the disclosure during a strategic meeting with
Heads of Departments (HODs) of Environmental Health Officers across the LGAs.

According to Ogbonna, Governor Otti gave the approval to support the health workers to carry out their sanitary inspection work. H therefore, charged them to intensify their efforts in promoting a clean and healthy environment by reaching every part of their jurisdictions.

The Commissioner emphasized the need for collaborative efforts with the Local Council Mayors for improved service delivery in environmental sanitation, which is the target of the present administration in the state, warning against unethical practices such as bribery, while stating that the Governor Otti-led government would not hesitate to sanction any officer found compromising their duties.

He praised the administration’s commitment to hygiene and reiterated its readiness to support the work of sanitary inspectors across the state.

In her response, the Chairperson of the Forum of Heads of Environmental Health Officers, Mrs. Onyinyechi Nwaigwe, expressed gratitude to Governor Otti for prioritizing environmental cleanliness and to the Commissioner for his support. She pledged that the officers will work diligently to meet the administration’s expectations.

Recall that the state government had on the 26th of June 2025 launched the return of the sanitary inspectors fo the 17 local government areas in the state.

The commissioner had at the venue of the launch blamed the long absence of the sanitary inspectors for the filthiness witnessed in the state before the inception of the present administration, led by Dr Alex Otti.

Governor Otti on his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023 declared state of emergency on sanitation in the state, which saw a massive transformation in the cleanliness of the state. Before now, Abia was rated as one of the dirtiest states in Nigeria but with the resources channelled into environmental sanitation, the narratives have changed.

Abia State is now referred to as one of the cleanest states in Nigeria.