By Lambert Festus
The Head of the Environmental Health Department in Ozoro, Mr Gabriel Egbeta has condemned, intensified efforts to tackle indiscriminate refuse dumping in Isoko North Local Government Area, and improve environmental sanitation across the local government area.
Egbeta disclosed this during an interview with our reporter, noting that illegal dumping of refuse remains a major challenge despite the council’s efforts to maintain a clean environment.
According to him, the Council Chairman Prince Godwin Ogorugba had made concerted efforts to eliminate illegal dump sites by clearing accumulated refuse and relocating the waste to government designated dump sites.
However, he lamented that some residents still preferred dumping refuse along roadsides rather than using approved disposal points.
He added that cleared dump sites were sometimes marked with ribbon barriers to discourage residents from returning to such locations to dump refuse.
Speaking on drainage management, Egbeta said the department usually clears drainage channels before the rainy season to ensure free flow of water, explaining that the exercise becomes difficult once the drains are filled with water.
He further disclosed that the Council conducts monthly environmental sanitation exercises, with the last Saturday exercise involving restrictions on the movement of persons and vehicles.
According to him, some offenders were arrested, vehicles were taken to the police station, and fines were paid into the council’s coffers.
The Environmental Health Chief also identified the lack of a standby official vehicle as a major challenge affecting the department’s field operations, noting that officers often had to pay for transportation when responding to environmental complaints.
He said the department also conducts inspections of residential, commercial and public premises to ensure compliance with sanitary requirements, including the availability of toilets, bathrooms and kitchens, as well as checks for expired products and drugs.
He added that residents who fail to comply with sanitary notices could be summoned to court.
