TheCable

Enugu government has announced a ban on scavenging and improper disposal of refuse at dump sites in the state.

Sam Ugwu, the commissioner for environment and climate change in Enugu, made the announcement on Wednesday when he spoke to journalists.

Egwu warned that defaulters would be penalised and added that the ban is in line with the mandate of the ministry.

According to NAN, the commissioner said the ministry had inaugurated “refuse marshals” to ensure the implementation of the ban and enforce attitudinal change in negative refuse waste handling and disposal methods.

“The refuse marshals are powered to monitor any ongoing movement(s) around the dumpsters and arrest scavengers who do not allow these sites to breathe,” he said.

He said the monthly environmental sanitation exercise which was suspended in the state due to security reasons would be reactivated with legal provisions in place to curb such a situation.

“When we came onboard, we had a volunteer who helped to plant flowers at the Otigba Junction, down to New Heaven Junction of Enugu metropolis,” he said.

“We have also planted trees by an assigned expert in the Zik’s Avenue area of Enugu metropolis.

“The cutting of grasses is currently ongoing at Ogui, Okpara Avenue, Government House Old Lodge, among other places, to help in beautifying the environment.

“We are not sleeping at all, Enugu State must be clean. We are going to do everything to ensure that the people embrace the government mantra of cleanliness and environmental sanitation.”