By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara State Environmental Sanitation Task Force has convicted and fined over 400 people in the State for running foul of the environmental law.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa Buge, disclosed this on Sunday in Ilorin, the state capital while fielding questions from Journalists on the Saturdays sanitation exercise.

The Commissioner, who led the task force, affirmed that; “The exercise was successful because, there was an improvement in the level of compliance, and therefore called for more adherence to the environmental laws because it is in the best interest of the people.

“The offenders were apprehended and charged to seventeen (17) mobile courts that were strategically positioned across the metropolis.

“The good aspect is that none of the offenders can feign ignorance of the sanitation exercise, as enough sensitisation was carried out by the Ministry. It is obvious they willfully flouted the laws and so they had to be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent to others.”

The Commissioner expressed optimism that the offenders sanctioned during today’s monitoring exercise would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders in subsequent exercises.

Speaking on the extension of time, the Commissioner reiterated: “It is in line with the State Environmental Sanitation law of Section 29 (2) CAP E4 of 2006 which stipulates that the hours of sanitation is from seven o’clock to ten o’clock (7: 00am – 10am) in the morning.”

She further stated that the move became expedient to ensure a total eradication of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and forestall the outbreak of diseases, adding that the sanitation exercise has to be taken seriously and in accordance with the laws governing our state.

Commending members of the Guild of Yoruba Media Practitioners for their community service at Gaa Akanbi area, the Commissioner urged them to keep it up, calling on other groups and associations to emulate the good gesture of the association, for a better healthy living.

She therefore appealed to the public to continue to cooperate with Government and its agencies, in its efforts at ensuring a clean, safe and healthier Kwara, for residents and would-be investors.

End