Abubakar Muhammed, Chief Prosecuting Officer, Nasarawa state.
By Collins Agwam – Lafia
Forty-two residents of Nasarawa state have been arrested and prosecuted for violating sanitation laws in the state.
Chief Prosecuting Officer, Abubakar Muhammed made the disclosure on Saturday in Lafia while speaking with newsmen on the level of complaince of the sanitation exercise.
He explained that those arrested and prosecuted did not participate in the exercise as they were seen going about their normal businesses, leaving their surroundings dirty.
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Muhammed said that the offences violated Section 9(2), of the State Environmental Sanitation Law.
He urged the court to sanction them accordingly to serve as deterrent to others.
“The offenses ranges from defaulting. Instead of cleaning their environments, they were seen going about their businesses and we will not allow such to continue in the state.
“We are holding the sanitation exercise today because the last saturday of the month and the year will be on boxing day so we had to shift it back by one week so that there will be total complaince”, he said.
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The Judge, Mr Shittu Umar, convicted and sentenced them to between two and four months imprisonment respectively. He, however, gave them the option of fines.
Also Speaking, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Jonathan Kwaghkaha expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance of the sanitation exercise.
According to him, “the activities of Okada and Tricycle riders in the state during sanitation exercises has drastically reduced and I am happy about it. The rate of participation is gradually increasing, I am optimistic that by next year the complaince level will be better”, he said.
Speaking on what the ministry is doing to tackle the second wave of Covid-19, he explained that the ministry have started fumigating the environment in order to ensure that the pandemic do not affect citizens of the state.
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“Fumigation of the environment is currently ongoing to ensure that the state is safe. We should always follow the Covid-19 guidelines by maintaining social distancing, washing our hands regularly and using face mask anytime we are in public places”, he said.
Hon. Kwaghkaha thanked residents for understanding with the ministry by their continuous participation in the monthly exercise while urging them not to relent in cleaning their environments in order to remain healthy at all times.
