Abia monthly clean-up exercise for the month of May on Saturday recorded low participation as traders doing business at Okezie Ikpeazu Relief Market, Amuzukwu, Isi Gate, Umuahia among other areas were seen doing business during the time of the exercise.
Other places visited like Bende Road by Adelabu, Uwalaka by Shoprite, saw individuals doing businesses while some youth were spotted playing football. Owners of shops were not left out as they were sighted doing business without restrictions.
Meanwhile, addressing newsmen at the Umuahia North Council Headquarters after the exercise, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Iheanyichukwu Ubani, represented by the Director Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Mr Godson Aharanya, said the exercise witnessed some level of compliance.
He said it was a success, in that people were sighted cleaning their surroundings while pay loaders were also on ground to dispose the refuse to dump sites, maintaining that more enforcement officers are needed in future exercises to make it a success.
On his advice to Abians regarding the monthly clean-up exercise, he charged them to desist from waiting for the government to coerce them before they can keep their environment clean, stressing that the health of one man, is the health of all.
