*Mulls Enforcement
By Sam Tyav, Makurdi
Management of Benue State Environmental and Sanitation Agency (BENSESA) has decried the poor attitude of some residents to the state’s sanitation laws.
Consequently, it has sued for attitudinal change.
In a chat with journalists in his office in Makurdi, the state capital, General Manager (GM), BENSESA, Chief Anta Igbaato disclosed that about 90 percent of residents, including shop owners and traders, especially those living in Makurdi metropolis, hardly comply with sanitation laws.
The GM, who reminded them of the existence of a sanction in form of a fine for non-compliance, stated that the agency has been “very careful” in enforcement of the regulation, especially on the matter of road setbacks, which is commonly violated by traders.
He explained that some of the offenders fall in the category that could not afford to pay for shops and so sell their wares on road setbacks to earn a living.
Chief Igbaato identified this group as vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who fled their villages and came to town knowing nobody but were only struggling to survive.
Igbaato lamented further that sending such people away from the illegal operations would, to him, amount to killing such families because they have no other source of livelihood.
However, the GM urged them to do everything possible to comply with the sanitation laws even as they look for their daily bread.
He frowned at activities of some traders especially at Wurukum market, Makurdi, who have shops in the market but deliberately chose to surge outside to display goods on road setbacks, thus causing traffic congestion, describing such action as completely unacceptable.
The GM insisted that government would be compelled to commence enforcement particularly on those deliberately using the road setbacks.
Igbaato expressed optimism that enforcement of the law forbidding display of goods on road setbacks would commence soon to clear roads for easy vehicular movement.
The BENSESA management, the GM revealed, has constituted a taskforce to ensure that Makurdi looks clean and traders selling goods on the road, particularly those who have shops but leave them to display goods on road setbacks, be compelled to leave or face punitive measures.
To avoid a situation where hoodlums take advantage of the exercise to steal from shop owners, Igbaato disclosed that management has decided that, though financially involving, BENSESA would involve security personnel to provide adequate security during the imminent enforcement exercise.
He appreciated State Governor Hyacinth Alia for supporting the agency to carry out its mandate and promised to ensure that Makurdi looks cleaner.
The GM called on the public to complement the governor’s efforts by keeping their surroundings clean, dropping refuse in designated buckets or waiting for vehicles that move round to collect refuse, instead of dropping them in the “quality gutters” built by the present administration, for easy flow of water.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Chief Igbaato.
