The Ebonyi State Government has banned indiscriminate dumping of refuse, saying that defaulters will pay a fine of N50,000 or face outright prosecution by the State Environmental Sanitation court.

The announcement is contained in a press release issued by the Head of Public Relations of the Ministry of Environment, Reuben Okorie, on Tuesday in Abakaliki.

The statement urged residents of the capital city to ensure that they properly bag their waste and dispose of it between the hours of 5am and 8pm at the ministry’s approved dump sites and waste bins.

The statement reiterated the commitment of the government to keep Abakaliki, the capital city clean and green regularly.

The statement read in part, “The Ebonyi Ministry of Environment is committed to maintaining environmental cleanliness and safety of the citizens living in the state capital. To this end, it directed that waste generated by residents from their compounds; business premises, schools, churches, hotels, eateries and other public places should be dropped at the ministry’s approved dump sites only, between the hours of 5am and 8pm daily. Further to that, there should be no more dumping of waste on the road median in any part of the capital city. To ensure total compliance to this directive, any person caught dropping waste indiscriminately and at unapproved places will be arrested by the environmental marshals. Defaulters will be made to pay a fine of N50,000 or face outright prosecution by the Ebonyi State Environmental Sanitation court.”

The statement further appealed to residents of the state to support the administration of Governor Francis Nwifuru in its efforts to create a healthy, clean and conducive environment for the good of all. 

(NAN)