It is quite unfortunate that the commentators have failed to realise the fact that provision of adequate security for lives and properties of the citizens is the responsibility of all the stakeholders, most especially, the three tiers of government – federal, state and local government

According to Mogaji Joseph Tegbe, all the three tiers of government are allocated reasonable sums of money as security votes on monthly basis. Hence, there must not be any excuse for security lapses.

In his view, security challenges in Oyo-State can be tackled in two ways, viz; preventive and curative. The former entails information sharing and intelligence gathering, including provision of jobs and food security.

The curative approach involves quick dispensation of justice without fear or favour as against the present practice where the big time political brigands and hardened criminals are shielded by the state government. In all fronts, the law enforcement agents need to be motivated in a comprehensive reward system.

Tegbe’s position on transportation is that of ameliorating the pains of the citizens through subsidised costs. Hence, fleet of durable vehicles of high utility values shall be provided to accomplish this objective.

Sustainability of this scheme shall be ensured by entrusting its management in the hands of the trustworthy and honest handlers. In addition,the state government shall explore the possibility of extending rail transportation to Oke-Ogun zone to ease the movement of farm products.

Health and Environmental management are intertwined. A clean and healthy environment prevents outbreak of epidemics. To achieve this feat, it is his mission to ensure efficient disposal of refuse through the provision of sufficient number of receptacles at all the designated collection points, introduction of waste to wealth programme through conversion to fertiliser and recycling mechanisms. In addition, our water channels in the state shall be adequately maintained to prevent floods while drainage system shall be accorded appropriate attention.

Our abbatoirs and food supply markets shall be constantly monitored by appropriate agents to ensure that proper hygiene is maintained.

I have always been perturbed by the present poor status of our private and public health curative services in Oyo-State, Tegbe enthused.

The available health centres and hospitals are grossly inadequate to take better care of the populace. Asides, the centres are ill equipped and sub-standard. The twin challenges of shortage of medical personnel and necessary drugs, including medical equipment are left unattended to. As a humanist and administrator, all the deficiencies under reference shall be rectified.

… to be continued

Adebiyi Akeem sent this piece from Ibadan, Oyo state

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A statement signed by the Commissioner for Environment and Natural resources, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola on Wednesday stated that noise pollution makes the environment unfriendly and as such creates severe influence on human mental and physical health.

Therefore, the Commissioner enjoined residents to abide with regulations, calling for cooperation by residents of the state.

Rt. Hon. Ayoola opined that failure to comply, may cause unending friction among parties involved, thereby causing conflict in the society.

“It is opined that adequate compliance would assist to foster better working relationship and conducive environment without confrontation and friction involving the parties”, the statement read.

Towards this end, the Oyo State Government, through the Ministry has mandated all block industry owners, night clubs, patent medicine sellers, churches, mosques, musical vendors, street dancers to henceforth reduce their noise to permissible level that complies with existing law of the state.

Hesitation to abide by this law, the statement read, would attract heavy penalties and wrath of the binding laws of Oyo state.

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The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Rt. Hon. Kehinde Ayoola said this today during a meeting with refuse contractors in the State.

He stated that the State Government has established four tribunals and task force which would further enshrine the dictates of the environmental law in Oyo State.

Ayoola said the State Government would introduce different layers of enforcement through campaigns across the state.

“The State Government would introduce different layers of enforcement, through campaigns involving stakeholders. We would also introduce Environmental brigades in schools and communities.

“We are not just going to impose sanctions on offenders, we want all concerned to be part of the campaign to rid our environment of dirt so we can all enjoy the benefit of cleaner surrounding and give room for expansion of commerce as a consequence of clean environment,” he said.

Berating the waste collection mechanism in the State, the Commissioner said all hands are on deck to ensure a more efficient mechanism, promising to look into the situation soon.

“We noticed the slow pace of the waste collection mechanism. We will make sure the pace is faster and efficient, very soon. We are working on this.”

Urging refuse contractors to put more efforts on collection of refuse at homes in the State capital, Hon. Ayoola also assured them of government’s intervention in creating more dump sites in the State.

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The exercise was carried out by the State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources with support from West Africa ENRG, a waste management consultant company, members of the State of Assembly and government officials from various Ministries and agencies.

Residents of Sabo and other areas of Mokola in Ibadan were seeing clearing their gutters while dancing to music provided by the team led by the officials of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju who represented the Commissioner, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola revealed during the special sanitation exercise at Sabo, Mokola on Saturday that the State government was Collaborating with West Africa ENRG, the Official refuse Contractor in Oyo State to distribute 10,000 waste bags to residents in Mokola environs to encourage the people embrace cleanliness and proper waste disposal culture in the State.

He added the that initiative would be taken to other communities in Ibadan and the rest of the State in the following monthly exercises as the major reason for the programme was to sensitize residents on proper ways of  bagging their wastes.

Dr. Bashir said that the essence of sensitizing the residents was to key them into the vision of Oyo State Government to ensure zero tolerance to filth and indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the State and as such promoting healthy citizens and aesthetic environment that would attract investors in the State and thriving in their legitimate businesses.

“Our mission here today is to encourage residents on proper ways of disposing their wastes so as not to constitute environmental nuisance to the roads and other open spaces.

“With the bags distributed for free to the people of Sabo, here in Mokola with the painstaking procedural explanations given to them about how to pack and bag their waste, the nuisance of waste will be reduced in this community and we believe the people will make this exercise endure without anybody coming round to nudge them to action.

The Permanent Secretary added that residents’ resolve to dispose their wastes through the approved waste collector was a way of exercising their individual responsibility as well as giving concrete support to the Government in putting an end to the menace of filthy environmental.

“After this sensitization, the mobile court would start immediately with magistrates and environmental tribunal to punish violators of environmental laws. We are not after fining them alone, community service is also part of our agenda, once a violator is caught, apart from paying fines, he or she will be compelled to carry out odd tasks like sweeping, clearing the drainage and wastes on road medians among others.”

In her words, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Abosede Abioye stressed that present administration was making efforts to rid the State of destitutes living in the streets while assuring that the government had plans towards rehabilitating and showing care to the affected individuals.

In her remarks, the Managing consultant  for Oyo State Waste Management  Authority, Mrs. Ololade Oresanwo  stated that residents who could not afford buying refuse drums  should imbibe the culture of proper bagging of their wastes for collectors for proper disposal.

“Wastes not properly disposed find their way into our water and ends up contaminating the aqua life there by resulting to a decrease in life expectancy of individuals due to consumption of contaminated water and food that we unknowingly ingest into our body system,” she said.

Ololade urged residents to put into consideration the idea of separating plastic bottles from other wastes and as such creating wealth for people on the State.

The consultant finally solicited the supports of community leaders in ensuring that residents refrain from patronizing cart pushers and other illegal refuse collectors but the legitimate refuse collector for the community, adding that only token would be paid for disposing their wastes.

The Chairman Vigilante Group for the Sabo Community, Alh. Garuwa Danjuma  pledged the cooperation of his group by complying with the environmental laws of the state while also assuring a high level of support with the Government towards ridding the the community of destitutes.

Among individuals that took part in the special sanitation exercise was the member, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Oladeni Adebisi and the Accountant General of Oyo State, Mr Gafar Kolawole Bello, as well as the Permanent secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Gabriel Oguntola.

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The Monarch stated this last Friday at the 2018 Award Winners’ lecture organized by Nigerian National Merit Award at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan titled: Refocussing The attention of The Federal Government of Nigeria on Ecology and The Environment’.

According to the Yoruba Monarch, Nigerian government must listen to advice of the intellectuals in the country. He said: “the greatest gift of life is character and are emanated from heredity, environment and education.

“It is disheartening that most rivers have gone dried, block or polluted with aftermath effects like flood through human activity of dropping refuse in flowing rivers. Food we eat today are from inorganic source therefore making us live unhealthy lives. Many animals we acquainted with during our time are not available for today’s youths to see because they have been killed through bush burning and other erroneous human activities”, the Monarch stated.

Alaafin also urged the class of intellectuals to always involve the traditional leaders in the similar gathering noting that whatever they learn will be useful to orientate people because they are closer to them at grassroot.

In his lecture, the Award Winner’s lecturer, Professor Emeritus, Seth Sunday Ajayi said the lecture is predicated upon the situation of Nigerian environment which is a home of all organisms including humans.

The Scholar, however expressed his displeasure for the continued degradation of the environment especially the rate of decline in Nigeria forestry and wildlife resources which is appalling, saying urgent mitigative measures are essential to forestall further loss.

He mentioned climate change as negative impact on the environment caused by human activities. According to him, this have serious repercussions on our environment and livelihood saying there’s need for the Nigerian government  and all stakeholders to take proactive measures in mitigating the myriad of negative impacts of climate change.

Other environmental hazards he mentioned are the problems of erosion and pollution especially oil spill and gas flaring in the Niger-Delta region of the country. He therefore tasked the government to come up with policies to enhance an improved ecosystem in the country.

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