The Sole Administrator of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Bro. Felix Obuah has frowned at the continued use of security escorts by members of the public to violate the restriction of human and vehicular movements during the monthly sanitation exercises in the State.
Obuah in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam regretted that the use of security personnel to provide escort for corpses and people during the state-wide sanitation days was becoming worrisome and would no longer be condoned by the Agency.
He further lamented the flagrant abuse of restriction orders by taxi and commercial bus drivers who use the monthly environmental sanitation days for unwholesome businesses, warning that the wrath of the State sanitation laws would descend on them to serve as a deterrent to others.
The RIWAMA boss reaffirmed that the monthly sanitation exercise was a day set aside for environmental cleanliness, adding that only those on essential duties, armed with the RIWAMA exemption permit, are exempted from the restriction order.
He further reaffirmed that only security personnel on lawful duties are exempted from the movement restriction order, adding that any action contrary to these stipulations amounts to abuse of the State sanitation rules and does not augur well for government’s effort to keep the state clean at all times.
Obuah appealed to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police as well as the Army Brigade Commander in Rivers State, to call their men to order as the continued use of these officers for escort duties on sanitation days is counter-productive and working against the objectives of the Rivers State Government.
The RIWAMA Sole Administrator stated that the cooperation of security agencies is solicited to engender a clean and healthy environment in the State, stressing that colluding with members of the public to flout sanitation rules is nothing but sabotage.
“All hands must be on deck to keep the State clean at all times. Members of the public, including police, army and all security agencies must be part of this determined effort to keep all the nooks and crannies of the State clean and also return and sustain the Garden City status of Port Harcourt, the State capital and its environs”, Obuah advised.
