The Kwara State Government has in the past few days sealed off 14 buildings due to environmental concerns, the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Nafisat Musa-Buge, said on Thursday.
Musa-Buge, while speaking in Ilorin said that the development was a result of the buildings’ dirty environment which was believed could negatively affect society.
“This is necessary so as to reiterate government’s commitment to sustaining a hygienic and safe environment,” she said.
Kwara government officials had on Wednesday sealed off eight buildings at Sabo-Oke in the Ilorin South Local Government Area (LGAs) of the state.
Also, the environmental health officers last week sealed off six buildings at Onikun-Kewu Street, in the Adabata Area of Ilorin.
Musa-Buge said the buildings in these residential areas violated the state’s environmental laws, saying sealing them off was to prevent an outbreak of cholera and other related diseases.
She affirmed the commitment of the state’s present administration to sustaining a clean, hygienic and safe environment for the people of Kwara and potential investors.
“It is no longer news that Environmental Health Officers across the 16 LGAs have started the enforcement of environmental laws.
“This is most especially through house-to-house inspection of toilet facilities to sustain the healthy living of residents.
“This development has started yielding positive results,” the Commissioner said.
Musa-Buge said in spite of incessant advocacy by the ministry on the need to stop open defecation and build standard toilets, some houses still expose human excreta to the environment.
”This is through their defective soak-aways.
“But this act is dangerous to the living condition of the residents of the areas,” she said.
The Commissioner assured members of the public of continuous house-to-house inspection across the state, in order to ascertain the level of compliance and also enforce environmental laws.
She therefore charged Kwara residents to cooperate with the state’s present administration, in its efforts to promote a clean and safe environment which would be habitable for all residents.
The Commissioner also urged landlords to build standard toilet facilities in their respective houses, warning that anyone found wanting would be prosecuted accordingly.
NAN
