Edo public works volunteers arrest two fake officials

Begins clampdown on environmental law violators

Officials of Edo State Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) have arrested two suspected impersonators of the scheme operating in the Benin metropolis.

“The two fake PUWOV officials were arrested at Ibiwe Junction, Ring Road in Benin metropolis. They were caught assaulting and extorting one Mr. Sunday Omonyeki, a Toyota Corolla driver. The suspects threatened to take the driver and his vehicle to Urhokpota Hall, which they claimed was their office.
   
“The suspects have been handed over to the Oba Market Police Division for further investigation and prosecution.

“While we reassure our commitment to sanitise the volunteer scheme and rid it of bad eggs, we urge members of the public to be mindful and watchful of impersonators, operating and extorting motorists while posing as PUWOV officials and report same to appropriate authorities.”

MEANWHILE, Edo State Government has commenced clampdown on violators of environmental laws in the Benin metropolis, as part of a renewed effort to ensure a cleaner and safer environment.

“We have now said that people should support us in this cleanup exercise and by doing so, we have advised our health officers to do their jobs by serving abatement notices and other notices to residents to ensure that they clean up their premises and evacuate their wastes properly.
 
“At the Aduwawa Market, despite the ‘No Refuse Dump’ sign, they have continued to indiscriminately dump refuse here. Now, we have agreed to work with the vigilantes that are in this market to make sure that those that are doing this are arrested. We have given the vigilantes our numbers so they can reach us anytime they find anybody doing this so they can be arrested and prosecuted.”
   
At Upper Mission Extension, the commissioner commended businesses and residents who kept to the requirements of the law regarding waste disposal, while violators were arrested and made to face the law.

“We also noticed that some people don’t even have waste bags in their houses. All they do is wait for the night and bring waste from their houses to dump here because they know the government is coming to pick it up. We arrested some offenders and are taking them to the mobile court for them to be tried according to the environmental laws of the state.
 
“Bag your wastes properly, patronise only accredited waste managers and ensure to pay for your waste to be evacuated to the accredited dumpsites so that Benin can be clean and healthy for everyone.”