World Clean-up Day: Oyo seals buildings, shops over unhygienic practices

Oyo State government has sealed some houses and shops within Academy Market, Ibadan, over unhygienic practices.

The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Abiodun Oni, said residents and owners of the shop violated environmental laws by failing to comply with laid down hygienic practices.

Speaking through the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Ademola Aderinto, the commissioner explained that the buildings were sealed during a sensitisation and enforcement campaign of the state government to commemorate this year’s World Clean-up Day.

He said the exercise was done to ensure total compliance with environmental hygiene and prevent a possible outbreak of any disease, pointing out that environmental health officers had earlier visited the affected buildings to inform the owners to do the needful, but they failed to comply.

The commissioner maintained the affected buildings were responsible for heaps of waste dumped in the market and along the main roads, adding that they do not have adequate waste bins for their wastes.

Oyo State government and Mottainai Recycling Ltd, as part of activities marking this year’s World Clean-up Day, recovered 5, 170 kilogrammes of plastic wastes in the clean-up activities carried out in Academy Market in Ibadan. The team also recovered 1,100 kilogrammes of cartons from the market.

He added that the exercise was carried out in conjunction with Waste Management Authority in the state, Mottainai Recycling Ltd, to sensitise and educate market women on how a waste-free environment can foster better customer relations and increase sales.

The Managing Director, Mottainai Recycling Ltd, Mr. Adey Adewuyi, explained that the initiative was borne out of the need to ensure Oyo State is clean.

Adewuyi, who spoke through the Chief Sustainability Officer, Mottainai Recycling Ltd, Ms. Deborah Fadeyi, said: “We are commemorating the World Clean-up Day in a very unconventional way with the market people. We are here to show them how waste can be turned to wealth.”

Also, the Chief Operating Officer, Oluwaseun Fashukanmi, explained that besides drawing the attention of the public to the immense financial opportunities in waste recycling, the public also should be aware of the threats of waste and pollution to human life and the ecosystem.