by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
About ten motorcycle raiders (popularly known as “Okada Riders”) within the Jos metropolis were arrested Saturday for not complying with the monthly Environmental Sanitation. The defaulters, who violated the directives, had to pay fines between N20,000 and N5000; the least being N1,000 only.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the monitoring of the Environmental Sanitation within the Jos metropolitan city, Chief Magistrate, Debora Abok Nyam, explained that, ₦1,000 is enough to deter individuals from violating Environmental Sanitation directives.
While emphasizing that, the goal is for individuals to feel the impact of paying fines, rather than imposing exorbitant amounts, the Chief Magistrate seized the opportunity to call on the citizens to cooperate with the government and participate in environmental sanitation exercises so as to prevent the outbreak of cholera epidemics.
Also, the General Manager, represented by the Director of Enforcement of Plataea Environmental Protection Sanitation Agency (PEPSA), Mr Pam Barnabas, expressed disappointment over the nonchalant attitude of the people, despite constant sensitization efforts by PEPSA.
According to him, “Environmental sanitation is crucial to preventing cholera epidemics, especially as the rainy season is approaching. We did not derive pleasure in fining people, but where they refuse to adhere to directives, that is where we enforce it on them.”
He said, “Defaulters face fines ranging from ₦1,000 to ₦20,000, depending on the magnitude of their offenses,” and appreciated the efforts of security personnel, agency staff, and newsmen in making the exercise a success.
Director Administration, Izang Pate, has called on Plateau State residents to cultivate the habit of keeping their environments clean at all times without supervision.
Our correspondent reports that, the monitoring team, which visited some communities within Jos North, observed negligence of sanitation by most residents in the metropolis.
And with the raining season where cholera diseases are prone, most households are at high risk of cholera. In some communities visited, such as Gangare, Congo Russia, Dilimi, and Angwan Rukuba, residents did not comply with the 3 hours’ observance of cleaning their environment.
Most of the people seen during the exercise were food vendors, tricycle operators and pedestrians, while others had already opened their shops for business.
One tea vendor was arrested for operating his business amidst stagnant water and heaps of garbage in Gengare Jos North Local Government Area.