Edo State Government has issued a week’s ultimatum to the state’s waste management board to rid the streets of Benin and other adjoining local governments of waste under its “Clean Edo” initiative.

Chairman Edo State Environmental Taskforce, and the state’s deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, handed down this ultimatum during a meeting with accredited waste managers and other stakeholders in Benin on Thursday.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Friday Aghedo, the deputy governor warned that failure by any waste managers to comply with the directive would be met with sanctions.

Idahosa noted that Governor Monday Okpebholo’s work through the SHINE Agenda was set to impact positively on the lives of people, including creating a cleaner, healthier society.

He said, “We are going to give one week to all the waste managers across the state, most especially Edo South, to meet up with responsibilities, or we revoke your accreditation at the state and local government levels.

“However, we are ready to join you to proffer solutions to raised challenges as we need a cleaner and healthier society.”

The Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Barr. Nosa Adams, stated that, for real development to take place in the state, given the infrastructural growth already being witnessed, efforts had to be made by all to ensure a clean working environment and a healthy environment.

He said, “Both solid and liquid wastes must not be allowed to litter our streets; air pollution would not be tolerated, and solid waste must be evacuated as quickly as possible, as soon as it is dropped.

“Factories should work out acceptable minimum standards to dispose of liquid wastes, which is a critical challenge communities are presently facing.

“We are taking action against this industrial action, because we don’t want to gamble with the health of our people.”

Chairman, Edo State Waste Management Board (EWMB), Mr Lucky Enehita-Inegbenehi, said that, based on the governor’s vision, he has been mandated to ensure all hands are on deck by engaging with stakeholders, a move that, he said, has birthed the present outcome of the environmental stakeholders meeting.

Speaking on the riot act directed at defaulting waste managers, Inegbenehi stated, “This is the first time in history that we are hearing this at the Executive level. Edo State is doing extremely well. We are on the path of progress and prosperity.”

The Chairman, Oredo Local Government Area, Hon. Gabriel Iduseri, speaking from the perspective of council chairmen, praised the outcome of the meeting, noting, “The meeting today will further enhance a cleaner and better environment at Oredo.”

He explained that his council was taking a stand against disposal of refuse inside drainages just as he appealed to households to patronise accredited waste managers.

On their part, Comr. Odolevbo Haruna, Barr. Dele Edokpayi and Gillian Ochugbue who spoke on behalf of waste managers, highlighted some challenges, which included the failure of households to pay for rendered services as well as the failure to register with accredited waste managers.