Kogi State Government says it would be more severe with sanitation offenders in the future according to the dictate of the law .
Kogi State Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi made the remarks while monitoring the commencement of the state monthly sanitation exercise held across the state today.
Awoniyi described the sanitation exercise as fundamental to keeping the state clean, urged the people not to see the exercise as government been hard on the people, but as a resolve to making the state habitable.
While the Deputy Governor observed that old habit die hard, he urged the people of the state to return and to imbibe the culture of cleanliness which used to be a way of life of the people in the past.
Awoniyi urged people of the state to key into the spirit and vision of the present administration by imbibing the traditional values of waking up to clean their environment.
The Deputy Governor urged people to make the sanitary condition of their environment a habit, said though the exercise was largely successful, there will be need for improvement in future exercises.
While noting that the gateway status of the state which borders nine other states made traffic control during the exercise an issue, assured that all the pitfalls of the inaugural sanitation will be corrected with the involvement of community stakeholders.
Still on the state sanitation exercise held across the state, a mobile court presided over by Senior Magistrate Abdullahi Sulyman, today convicted 26 offenders who violated the Kogi State Sanitation laws during today’s State sanitation exercise held across the state.
Briefing newsmen, Mrs Florence Joseph, General Manager of Kogi State Waste Sanitation Board, said the offenders contravenes the state sanitation laws, said fined ranging from the sum of N500 and minor sentences were the punishment meted to those convicted.
Mrs Joseph urged the people to see cleanliness as their part of life, said so much was done to sensitize people about the sanitation exercise, said people still flagrantly abused the orders on human and vehicular movement.
While noting that the exercise across the state was largely successful, assured that her board will work towards making future exercises effective.
In his ruling, Senior Magistrate, said the conviction followed the evidence put before the court by Prosecuting officer, Samuel Adewuyi, of the State Sanitation Board, said the punishment will serve as a deterrent to those who will in future float government orders, disclosing that as first offenders, those convicted be made a fine of N500.
