Task Force On Environmental Sanitation Set Up In Ogun

The Otunba Dipo Dina Charitable and Humanitarian Organisation, ODDICHO, a non-governmental organisation in conjunction with the Ogun State Ministry of Enviroment, Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, is set to inaugurate its environmental task force, to curb environmental nuisance in the state.

The environmental corps, according to the ODDICHO coordinator, Alhaji Hassan Bello, will be inaugurated on 24 September, 2011, at the Obafemi Owode Local Government secretariat, under the chairmanship of the council boss, Alhaji Jimoh Balogun.

The task force will commence operation fully on October 1.

The NGO, Bello said, has mobilised over 20 youths across the 20 local government councils across the state, and its still looking for more volunteers in order to effectively curb the menace of environmental nuisance, child trafficking, child abuse and other social vices in the state.

He added that the organisation which has coordinators in all the local governments across the state, is working in tandem with the state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Fari and the Special Adviser to the governor on Environment, Mrs. Bimbo Balogun.

”What we are doing is to replicate all the good works that is going on in Lagos State, hence our decision to join forces with the Ogun State Ministry of Environment to launch Operation Keep Ogun State Clean Task Force, with the aim of ensuring that the state is clean and healthy for every individuals to live in.

“We will be saddled with the responsibility of engaging in house-to-house inspection, demolition of illegal structures, checkmating the menace of child trafficking and child abuse as well as providing community security service to assist the Ogun State police in combating crime and other social vices.

“No more street hawking in Ogun State, no more indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the highway, gutter and canal. We want to replicate what is going on in Lagos here. We want to beautify the state and make it a reference point for other states in Nigeria,” he said.

He urged the people of Ogun State to support the project by keeping their houses and environment clean before the task force commence operation fully.

“All relevant ministries in the state are aware of this exercise. We are working to back the efforts of the government to sanitise the state. The government cannot do it alone except with the support of the people,” he said.

—Jamiu Yisa