By Oyem Jonathan
The Executive Chairman of Aniocha South Local Government Area, Hon. Pastor Jude Chukwunwike , has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining environmental sanitation and improving public health standards across the council, warning residents and business operators against indiscriminate waste disposal and the abuse of public drainage infrastructure.
Chukwunwike gave the assurance during the August edition of the statewide environmental sanitation exercise held in Ogwashi Uku, the council headquarters .
Speaking through the Supervisory Councillor for Environment, Hon. Chika Kelly Edozie, the chairman expressed concern over the persistent practice of using drainage channels and other public facilities as refuse disposal points.
He particularly decried the attitude of some traders at Afor Market, Ogwashi Uku, who, despite existing waste disposal arrangements, have continued to disregard approved environmental sanitation practices.
While supervising the evacuation of accumulated waste at the market, Chukwunwike expressed dismay over the persistent littering of the entry and exit points of Afor Market. He stressed that poor waste management and an unclean commercial environment constitute serious environmental and public health risks, including blocked drainage channels, flooding, pest infestation and the spread of communicable diseases.
The council chairman therefore urged traders and other market stakeholders to take greater responsibility for environmental compliance, emphasizing that sustainable sanitation requires a collective commitment from residents, businesses and community stakeholders.
At the popular Post Office Junction in Ogwashi Uku, Chukwunwike commended residents who were observed clearing overgrown pathways and desilting blocked drainage channels despite the non restriction of vehicular movement during the exercise.
He described the participation of residents in clearing their immediate surroundings as a positive demonstration of community ownership of environmental management, urging others to adopt the same culture of sanitation and preventive maintenance.
The sanitation team also visited the Kwale Junction axis of the federal highway, where the chairman called on residents and business operators to improve their sanitation and hygiene standards.
He further appealed to lorry and truck drivers who park indiscriminately along the highway to comply with traffic and environmental regulations, stressing the need for proper parking practices, road safety and the protection of other road users.
Chukwunwike noted that the non restriction of vehicular movement during the exercise affected the level of participation and compliance in some areas.
Nevertheless, he said the exercise recorded significant progress, particularly with the successful evacuation of waste at Afor Market, which restored a cleaner and more functional environment for traders and customers.
The chairman reiterated that his administration would continue to prioritize environmental governance, sanitation enforcement and sustainable waste management as critical components of its development agenda.
He called on residents to move beyond periodic participation in sanitation exercises and embrace environmental cleanliness as a sustained civic responsibility, stressing that effective waste management and a clean environment are essential to public health, community resilience and sustainable local development.
