Against the threatening floods and desert encroachment, the Kano state government, has begun planting of two million tree seedlings.
The Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Kabiru Getso, while inspecting the monthly sanitation exercise on Saturday, said the seedlings would be planted in reserves, parks, public places and other strategic locations to control flooding and enhance afforestation.
According to him, the state government would also construct about 40 drainages as well as rehabilitate dilapidated ones in Kano metropolis and major towns, as part of flood control measures to protect the environment.
He said the prediction by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) that flood would occur in 20 local government areas of the state, had necessitated the exercise.
“The state government is planting two million tree seedlings, constructing and rehabilitating 40 drains. Desalting and waste clearance exercise were conducted to clear blocked water ways in the communities.
“The government has not been idle in ensuring that the environment is clean, tidy and safe for human habitation.
“Members of the community should join hands with the government to sanitise the environment; everybody is a stakeholder and should contribute to make the environment clean and safe,” he said.
Getso said the ministry had done waste clearance and decontamination in markets, industries, parks, streets, places of worship and public places to stem further spread of the pandemic.
According to him, 20 defaulters were tried and fined by the Environmental Sanitation Mobile Court for flouting the rules on the exercise.
“The ministry also distributed environmental sanitation kits to about 40 Community Base Oraganisations (CBOs), to encourage drain and waste clearance exercise in the society,” he said
The commissioner added that such exercises were imperative to control flood, malaria and protect the environment.
Getso urged the people to desist from indiscriminate dumping of waste on water ways and keep a clean environment for sustainable development of the state.
He also called on sugarcane vendors to use waste bins for collection of the by-products and ensure proper packaging of the produce to protect public health.
