No fewer than 20 people have been sentenced to various prison terms in Ado Ekiti, capital of Ekiti, for failing to participate in the monthly environmental sanitation in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment, Bisi Kolawole, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti that the prison terms ranged from one to two months.
Mr Kolawole said the convicts were also given options of fine of N2, 000 to N5,000, depending on the nature of the offence.
He said the convicts were arrested by the officials of the state’s environmental sanitation agency on Saturday last week for indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
The commissioner said some of the convicts were sentenced for disregard for the order on restriction of movement during the exercise.
He said the sentences would not only serve as punishment to the offender, but as a deterrent to others who would want to commit similar offences.
Mr Kolawole warned that government would continue to prosecute anybody caught flouting environmental and sanitation laws in the state.
He stressed the need for the residents to keep their environment clean in order to prevent flooding and avoidable outbreak of epidemic.
He called on the people not to allow anybody to indiscriminately dump refuse in the waterways or do anything that would block canals in the state.
The commissioner also solicited the continued support for government’s efforts to make life more meaningful for the people.
He urged the residents to make judicious use of the waste bins provided by government at designated areas in the city to keep it clean.
NAN
