Environment
Obuah Warns Against Street Trading, Footballing During Sanitation Exercise Hours
By Anele Achulike
The Sole Administrator of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency
(RIWAMA), Bro. Felix Obuah has frowned at the continued flouting of
the state-wide environmental sanitation exercise by those who convert
the period into street trading and footballing, warning them to desist
from the act or face the wrath of the law.
Bro. Obuah, who gave the warning on Saturday when he led a team of
RIWAMA officials, security agents, including officers of the Federal
Road Safety Corps (FRSC), round some parts of Port Harcourt, the State
capital, to monitor this month’s sanitation exercise, said the Agency
had repeatedly warned against playing football and street trading
during the monthly sanitation hours, but regretted that such warnings
had fallen on deaf ears of some youths, stressing that the habit was
counterproductive in the efforts of the Agency to ensure a cleaner
city.
He said observations revealed that street trading and footballing take
place at areas of high commercial activities in Port Harcourt during
sanitation hours and warned parents and guardians to call their
children to order.
“This is not encouraging because in the process of playing football
and trading on streets and roads during sanitation hours, such areas
are littered with wastes”, Bro. Obuah declared while calling for a
change of attitude, adding that two, three hours of sanitation
exercise would bring a long term health benefit to residents.
“It is not the best time to play football or any other game for that
matter or selling on the streets. If you want to play games or sell,
don’t do it during the environmental sanitation hours” he advised.
Bro. Obuah warned that henceforth those found to be engaging in such
acts would be arrested and charged before the Sanitation Court.
The Sole Administrator who later spoke to journalists on the
evaluation of the sanitation exercise said in spite of the ugly habit
of indulging in street trading and footballing by some youths and
residents, the exercise was adjudged a success as many residents
turned out in their numbers in different parts of the State to clean
their environment and empty their gutters and other water channels.
“The overall compliance was good. We passed through Ikwerre Road,
Ikokwu, Ojoto, Azikiwe, Emenike, Iloabuchi, D/Line, Rumuomasi, Aba
Road and many other streets and roads in Port Harcourt, the State
capital”, he said.
On the dumping of refuse on the median by residents, the Sole
Administrator said the practice has reduced following the
sensitization by the Agency and warned against dumping of refuse on
the median.
He further appealed to residents to desist from dumping refuse in the
gutters and other water channels as doing so may cause blockages which
may aggravate flooding.
Bro. Obuah also called for a synergy between communities, people
living and doing business in the State and RIWAMA for a cleaner and
healthy Rivers State.
