From Mark Chukwu, Umuahia
The Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna has described last Saturday July monthly environmental sanitation exercise as overwhelming.
Hon Ogbonna said this during the monitoring of the July exercise at the High Court Complex Umuahia while addressing newsmen.
According to him, “the compliance today is impressive. The compliance today is overwhelming particularly. I went to Orieugba, since I joined this team, I have not seen Orieugba people on a clean up day like I saw it today. That is a testament that people are getting used to what we are doing. It is for everybody to put effort in making sure that Abia is clean in keeping with the vision of our Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti OFR. And beyond that, we have gone to Olokoro, Ubakala, more often than not, we have had our challenges with the market areas but today it is an exception and I think it will continue like this”.
He continues: “I have noticed and observed much more people complying to what we are doing”.
To sustain the improvement, the commissioner explained that they have used the Harmonized Taskforce, adding that “what the Taskforce did today is an indication that the energy in that team is much. We are going to get them and make sure the compliance level will continue to improve.
“I have observed Umuahia today. In the next clean up, we will get them to be part of what is happening in Abia and I am sure our effort to ensure its sustainance will be on the high.
According to him, “this monthly exercise is nation wide, not only in Umuahia. We are making sure that what is happening in Abia will also happen in Umuahia and other parts of the state.
Lending his voice, the Chairman on Environmental Sanitation in Abia State House of Assembly and member representing the Ohafia State constituency, Hon. Kalu Mba Nwoke, expressed satisfaction over the massive compliance.
“What I must have to bring it to the notice of everybody and the authority is the failed building at Ohokobo Federal Housing Estate, World Bank Umuahia.”, he said
Nwoke called on the Government as a matter of urgency to go there immediately to forstall loss of lives as the people squatting there might not be lucky and nobody knows what will happen to the two remaining shaking buildings. “So, I am using this opportunity to call on the relevant authorities to go there immediately to know what to do,” he stated.
The House Committee Chairman expressed happiness that his people in Ohafia mostly “Akanu Ohafia residents mandated everybody in that Community to come out enmass for the exercise”.
He pleaded with the Traditional Rulers in Ohafia to persuade their wards to join in the clean up exercise, noting that the Environmental Sanitation exercise is not only for Aba and Umuahia.
Nwoke expressed satisfaction with the Orie Igba Market people and commended them for listening to the government and complied fully.
Contributing, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Environment, Prof. Ijeoma Iheukwumere, said that government is happy over the total compliance though not one hundred percent but appealed to Abians and everybody to help make Abia great.
