Fifty-two persons have been arraigned before an Ekiti State Magistrate’s Court, Ado Ekiti District for alleged violations of the environmental health and sanitation laws of the state.
A statement by the State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources made available in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, said, “The suspects were charged to court for allegedly violating the environmental health and sanitation laws of Ekiti State during Saturday’s environmental sanitation exercise.”
It added that the Magistrate, Olubunmi Bamidele, sentenced 37 of the suspects to one-month imprisonment each, having found them guilty of the allegations preferred against them.
“The magistrate, however, gave the 37 convicts the option of fine.
“In the judgment, Magistrate Bamidele stated that ‘the offenders failed to adhere to the state’s environmental sanitation guidelines’, stressing that their conviction would serve as a deterrence to other sanitation offenders
“The court, however, discharged 15 other suspected offenders after their cases were heard,” it stated.
According to the statement, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, speaking in Ado Ekiti earlier while monitoring the environmental sanitation exercise, urged residents to maintain a high level of hygiene to rid the state of communicable diseases.
Aluko-Ajisafe, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Tunde Balogun, during the exercise, reiterated, “Environmental sanitation is a collective responsibility. We urge residents to actively participate in keeping their surroundings clean.”
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring a hygienic and sustainable environment.
The commissioner warned that “Violators of sanitation laws would continue to face strict penalties as part of the enforcement strategy to maintain compliance.
Aluko-Ajisafe urged community leaders and stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns on the importance of sanitation, stressing that “enforcing sanitation laws is a proactive measure to prevent disease outbreaks caused by poor hygiene.”
