The Kogi State Government has banned the dumping of refuse in unauthorised places across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Kogi State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Victor Omafaiye, on Monday.
Omafiaye noted the anyone caught will be jailed for three months or pay afine of N25,000
He said, “Landlords and landladies, as a matter of urgency, should provide toilets in their houses to prevent open defecation across the state.’’
“The new Kogi State Sanitation and Environmental Health Law of 2022 stipulates a fine of N25,000.00 or 3 months imprisonment for anyone caught violating this new law.
The Commissioner said that the new Kogi State Sanitation and Environmental Health Law of 2022, signed by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State recently will be implemented with immediate effect.
Omofaiye further warned the residents of the State to desist from dumping waste on the road median, public drainages (gutter), open spaces, or any unauthorised places besides the designated spots in the metropolis.
“Cleanliness, they say, is next to godliness, the duty of every citizen is to clean his/her environment by cutting overgrown weeds, desilt the drainages, and dumping their refuse waste in Government approved spots for final collection and disposal.
“Shop owners, hawkers, landlords, tenants, and the general public take note and do the needful. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Let us be environmentally disciplined to prevent diseases, floods and other preventable health challenges, he added.”