Chief Patrick Ukah
The Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA) says it will sustain its sanitation advocacy campaigns across the capital territory to improve environmental sanitation and hygiene practices.
The agency’s Director General, Mr Patrick Ukah, made this known on Sunday while monitoring the community-based sanitation and sensitisation programme, now in its third day.
Ukah underscored the importance of waste bin disposal in every household and urged residents to support Public Sector Partnership (PSP) operators for proper waste management.
“Economic activities across the metropolis will thrive if all residents adhere to sanitation best practices,” he said.
According to him, significant resources and manpower have been deployed to ensure the campaign’s success.
Mr Vincent Okwofadjeke, DSCTDA’s Manager of Administration and Finance, at Ogbogonogo Market, said maintaining a clean environment was a shared responsibility essential for preventing the spread of diseases.
He said, “the current cleanup exercise follows last year’s “Secured Clean and Green” campaign, reinforcing the need for a consistently clean environment to safeguard residents’ socio-economic well-being.
“Traders should remember that this market was previously shut down due to poor sanitary conditions,” Okwofadjeke said.
He urged them to keep their surroundings clean, properly dispose of their waste, and refrain from street trading.
“Many diseases spread through contaminated water and food due to poor sanitation practices such as open defecation, improper waste disposal, and lack of personal hygiene.
“Therefore, sanitation must become a daily practice, not just an activity reserved for Thursdays,” he added.
Mr Isaac Nwosu, Head of Environment, DSCTDA, announced that the cleanup exercise would extend to public spaces, including markets, to encourage sustainable sanitation habits among residents.
He emphasised that the agency’s advocacy efforts aimed to instill voluntary and long-term compliance with proper waste management practices.
Mr John Ijedie, Manager of Investment and Business Promotions, underscored the economic and health benefits of the campaign.
According to him, raising awareness about sanitation is crucial in preventing communicable diseases.
“If we take care of our environment, it will, in turn, take care of us—improving our overall health and increasing our life expectancy,” he said.
He urged residents to take ownership of their environment by maintaining cleanliness and reporting unsanitary behaviours, stressing that the government could not continually monitor every location.
The Ugoani of Okpanam, Michael Mbanefo, pledged his support in enforcing the sanitation campaign within the Okpanam Kingdom during a visit by the DSCTDA team.
He referenced the biblical principle that “cleanliness is next to godliness” and urged the community to actively participate in maintaining a clean and safe environment.
He noted that security was a collective responsibility and expressed gratitude to Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori for the ongoing road projects in Okpanam and beyond.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as part of the initiative, task force officers cleared drainage systems at Akpo Junction, desilting blocked channels, with waste trucks promptly removing the debris.
The sanitation advocacy campaign has covered key locations within the Capital Territory, including, Textile Mill Road, Mamie Market Ogbogonogo Market, and Nnebisi Road.
Other areas are, Interbau Roundabout, Akpo Junction, Stadium, Okpanam City Gate, and Okpanam Post Office
DSCTDA officials, Investment and Business Promotions personnel, and Task Force officers were present to oversee the second phase of the “Secured Clean and Green” exercise.(NAN)
