Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama (SAN), has reiterated that the state government is determined to put an end to all forms of environmental abuse going on in the state. He stated this at the weekend when he led members of the Special Ad-hoc Committee on Sanitation to two royal fathers of Uvwie and Udu as part of the sensitisation efforts by the committee.

The 21-member committee made up of members of the State Executive Council is billed to swing into action today in the three local government areas of Uvwie, Udu and Warri South.

Speaking at the palace of the Ovie of Uvwie, HRM Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, Utuama, who is the chairman of the committee, lamented the degree of filth in the three local government areas. He warned that the committee would clinically execute its terms of reference without fear or favour. He enjoined the royal father to assist the committee in achieving its objectives and goals by passing the message across to all his subjects.

“The mandate of the committee is to clear these three local governments of all forms of filth and environmental abuse, including indiscriminate dumping of refuse, conversion of walkways to markets and stalls and reckless parking of cars by drivers who pick passengers without consideration for other road users. The Enerhen Junction which government spent huge sums of money on as part o its urban renewal and beautification programme has been so bastardised that you can hardly recognise it again. This is unacceptable and government is determined to tackle this environmental abuse head on,” he said.

Utuama said the committee will set what he called “minimum acceptable environmental standard” in the three council areas and make others to take a cue from them.

“The committee is poised to set a minimum acceptable environmental standard in these three council areas and then other local government areas will follow. We will inculcate in the people, proper waste disposal habits and of course, we will have law enforcers who will ensure compliance through appropriate fines. We will tell them that it is in their interest and interest of all to properly dispose waste. This will make our cities clean, more beautiful and more ornamented. This will in turn attract investors and when there are investors they will create employment for our people,” the deputy governor added.

He announced that the Ogbolokposo Market in the areas will be opened very soon, a piece of news that was received with prolonged applause.

At the palace of the Ovie of Udu, HRM Ohworhu 1, JP, emphasised the same message. The royal father used the opportunity to ask for an institution of higher learning to be located in the areas.

It would be recalled that the State Executive Council, presided over by the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, had last Tuesday set up the ad-hoc committee with a mandate to clean up the three council areas within a week.

•Photo shows Prof. Utuama.