The governor of Ekiti State has asked the Traditional Rulers to help ensure that all residents participate in the monthly Environmental Sanitation activity.
The state administration has stated that monarchs’ efforts are important to the success of the Environment Law and other programs designed to improve the health and well-being of the populace.
On Saturday, while overseeing environmental sanitation in Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area, Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye made the remarks in the palace of Arajaka of Igbara-Odo Ekiti, Oba Edward Jayeola.
Afuye reportedly disapproved of the overwhelming number of merchants present at the Oja Oba Market in Igbara- Odo Ekiti at 8.30am, when environmental sanitation was in full swing, as stated in a statement released by her Media Assistant, Victor Ogunje.
According to the Deputy Governor, this is a blatant disregard for the Ekiti State Environmental Sanitation Law, which states that all residents must clean their homes and public spaces on the last Saturday of the month between the hours of 8 and 10 a.m. unless granted an exception.
She urged all of the state’s rulers to work with municipal authorities to educate citizens about the need of a monthly initiative aimed at reducing the spread of infectious diseases.
“Kabiyesi, what I have seen in the market here in Igbara Odo today was wrong and the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji frowns at such conduct,” Afuye replied to the king.
How can so many individuals be selling at the market while we’re doing environmental cleanup? Maintaining a clean and sanitary environment is an important first step in teaching our people to value health as highly as money.
“The goal of this initiative is to prevent our people from wasting resources on opportunistic diseases that may be used for their own personal growth and development. If you take the time to tidy up your surroundings, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor.
I’d like to make a plea that we avoid a repeat performance of this circumstance in the upcoming month. Our people need to be taught the appropriate way to follow the rules. We have nothing to lose if we stay at home between 7-10am to clean our surroundings”.
In his response, Oba Jayeola praised Governor Oyebanji’s administration for its care of the people and promised that similar behavior would be avoided in future drills.
For our own good, I can tell your Excellency that this will not happen again in the following month’s installment of this program.
While in Ilawe, the council’s administrative center, the Deputy Governor praised locals for their thorough participation in the exercise and their efforts to keep the area clean.
She praised Council Chairman Richard Apolola’s mobilization efforts that led to the good behavior displayed by the citizens, and she urged the residents to maintain such ethical standards in future iterations of the survey.
The high level of compliance shown in Ilawe Ekiti, Apolola promised the government, will be reproduced in other towns in the council in future editions.
