Governor Seyi Makinde has appointed a former Chief Security Officer to late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Francis Ojomo, as the head of the environmental task force in Oyo State.
Ojomo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, will from next week lead an environmental task force to arrest persons who indiscriminately dump waste in Oyo State.
The mandate of the committee set up by Governor Seyi Makinde will see the task force arrest residents of the state found dumping waste on medians, floodplains, unapproved places and having such persons tried by environmental tribunals.
Addressing journalists at governor’s office, Ibadan, Ojomo stated that this week was being used to wrap up sensitisation of people on proper disposal of their waste while enforcement of the state environmental laws will begin next week.
He particularly decried the nonchalant attitude of residents of the state towards effective waste disposal, overtime, vowing to ensure orderliness in how residents dispose of their waste henceforth.
“They need to come up with the task force was necessitated by the manner and approach of people towards our environment. If we want to have a good living, our environment must be preserved. In an era of global warming and climate change, we must be careful how we handle the environment.
“There are disasters orchestrated by a change in climate like nonchalant attitude to disposing of waste. To ensure orderliness and preservation of the environment, everybody should be careful about how they manage waste. Whoever is accosted will be made to face the wrath of the law.
“We will use two approaches of persuasion and enforcement. After this week, anyone who is caught will be dealt with according to the environmental law of Oyo State,” Ojomo said.
Ojomo is to be joined in the task by representatives of traders, artisans, youths, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Muslim Community, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) among others.
Permanent Secretary, Oyo Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Bashir Olanrewaju, who introduced the new environmental task force Chairman, said Ojomo had divested his being Police Area Commander of Apata Division, Ibadan, to face the task full time.
Speaking, Olanrewaju added that six environmental tribunals had been set up to try environmental offenders.
He reiterated that dumping of waste on medians, non-subscription to approved waste collectors remained an offence that will attract fine, a prison sentence or community service punishment.
Olanrewaju further gave a hint of the state launching a new solid waste management architecture where the state will give out waste bags to residents to sort their waste before the waste contractors collect them.
Under the soon-to-be-introduced waste management plan, Olanrewaju said every resident of the state, whether high, middle or low-income earners, will get applicable demand notices for the waste they generate.
