From Daniel Abel, Lafia
69 persons have been arrested by sanitation task force for allegedly violating sanitation law in Nasarawa State.
This was made known at a press press briefing by Mr Yakubu Kwanta, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in Lafia, the state capital.
The Commissioner who was represented by the permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mohammed Rocha, said the defaulters are mosly motorists.
He said that the defaulters will be prosecuted according to the sanitation law of the state.
Kwanta, while urging the residents to prioritize sanitation to keep their environment clean, said that the exercise has recorded 80 percent compliance.
He commended traditional rulers especially Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage for his encouragement and participation in the monthly sanitation.
The Commissioner also commended Killema Community for their exceptional efforts in promoting cleanliness as he urged other communities to emulate them
“As you aware every last Saturday of the month is set aside for sanitation. Before I go further, I want to appreciate Gov. Abdullahi Sule for always providing logistics as at when due for hitch free sanitation.
“I want to also thank the task force and the volunteers for their continuous supports that helped us to record a huge success in this exercise,” he said.
Chief Prosecutor at the state Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Abubakar Mohammed, said the 67 defaulters were arrested from across the 13 local government areas of the state.
He said that the ministry had prosecuted about 24 persons who had violated sanitation laws and sent to prison for jail term as specified by sanitation laws since the reintroduction of sanitation exercise in the state.