Abia State Government has warned residents to desist from dumping refuse inside drainages and waterways, saying defaulters will pay dearly when caught.
Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna, gave the warning on Saturday in Umuahia while speaking to newsmen after monitoring the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
Ogbonna said the recent flooding recorded in parts of the state was caused by blocked drainages resulting from indiscriminate dumping of waste, especially during rainfall.
He noted that while the government, through the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, and other relevant agencies, is working round the clock to keep drains open, some defiant residents still dump waste into waterways.
”That should stop. They are doing it and going free because nobody has seen them. If we see them, they will pay dearly for it. The weight of the law will fall on that person,” he warned.
The Commissioner said he observed a high level of compliance in Umuahia during the exercise, which he noted is returning after being irregular for some time.
He commended enforcement agencies for their support and lauded volunteers at Afara area who came out to clean their environment, despite attempts by some persons to attack them.
Ogbonna, however, expressed displeasure over the attitude of some traders at Orie Ugba market, saying government has engaged their leadership to ensure full compliance in subsequent exercises.
He appealed to Abians to take the three-hour monthly exercise seriously, stressing that the campaign for a clean environment is for the benefit of all and not for government alone.
Stop Dumping Refuse In Drainages, You Will Pay Through Your Nose — Ogbonna Warns
