1 month ago
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No fewer than 17 environmental sanitation offenders were arrested and tried at a mobile court in Gombe State for contravening the law on Saturday.
This is as the state government said that offenders henceforth would be made to sweep and cut grasses.
Our correspondent reports that the state held its monthly end-of-the-month sanitation with Magistrate Maikudi Bamai and others presiding over the court at Gombe Divisional Police Station.
The offenders comprise motorcycle riders popularly known as Mai Achaba, Keke NAPEP operators, fuel station and restaurant attendants.
Addressing journalists, the state Commissioner for Water, Environment and Forest Resources, Mohammed Fawu, said the offenders would be dealt with to serve as deterrent to others.
According to him, health is wealth and should not be abandoned for any reason, adding that the current administration is committed to prioritising the well-being of residents.
“Most of the complaints said that they were going to the farms; that they were hungry. I’m not sure they have considered the importance of health. Will they go to the farm when they are ill?
“There is a need to ensure the environment is tidy. We want to plead that the people give us the needed cooperation. It’s not about restricting movement but about ensuring cleaning and tidying of the environment is achieved,” Fawu said.
The commissioner noted that the mobile court has been charged to adjudicate on sanitation issues and ensure justice.
“It is active because all those arrested have been taken to the various police stations in town. He (Magistrate) is prosecuting them, and they (offenders) will be charged.
“We will inform the general public how much we realised in terms of fines we got from the exercise. Nobody pays cash. We have staff of internal revenue with us. Once payment is made, it goes to the state treasury. Next time we will not stop at arresting petroleum station operators, even customers will be arrested,” he said.
He lauded residents for their improved compliance with the exercise, saying that next sanitation day, brooms will be made available for offenders.
“This month’s compliance level is better than last month. However, we still have challenges.
“Motorcycle riders are the main culprits when it comes to breaking the law. We have made announcements and we also engaged so many organisations and residents are aware.
“We will increase security personnel in some points to ensure security. We will ensure our offenders will be given brooms to sweep. No movement includes trekking. Brooms, cutlasses will be provided for offenders next time to do what they should have done from home,” Fawu added.
