Dr Ibrahim Kabir, DG, BASEPA addressing journalists
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) is set to prosecute offenders who violated the directives on the ban of dumping of refuse by the roadsides, pavements, , pedestrian walkways and drainages before the Agency’s Environmental Mobile Court.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday by the Director General of the Agency Dr Ibrahim Kabir at the end a two day awareness and sensitisation campaigns rally held within the Bauchi metropolis.
According to him, the Agency embarked on the sensitisation campaign in order to inform the general public about the development and also engaged community leaders as well as members of the press and the uniform Voluntary organisations for effective information dissemination.
He also said that, the decision to allow people, especially households adjacent to the main roads and streets to dump their refuse by the roadside for BASEPA and cosmopolitan cleaners to evaluate was wrong and after thorough discussions and engagements of all the relevant stakeholders, the Agency decided to ban it and will intensify efforts to ensure compliance by the general public.
The Director General further said that, even before the rally, the Agency had engaged community leaders for grassroot mobilisation and supports at their respective domains and also used radio and television jingles to ensure the information reached all the nooks and crannies of the town.
He also warned that anyone found violating the directive will be considered as a saboteur and the laws that established the Agency gives it power to arrest and prosecute before the Agency’s environmental mobile court.
Ibrahim Kabir said that, the most interesting part of the exercise is, during the two days rally along the major roads and streets the metropolis, people’s responses indicated that they are in full support of the initiatives.
With this directive,it is evident that the collection centers provided for the dumping of wastes will be filled up within a shortest possible time and assured the general public frequent and prompt evacuation for the protection of Public Health, especially households closed to the centers.
In their separate responses, Mallam Ayuba Abubakar and Kabiru Uba, Wakilin Mai Unguwar Kobi and Mai Unguwar ECWA Area One commended the Director General for coming up with the initiative and promised to mobilize their people for the overall success of ban as contained in a statement by Isyaka Laminu Badamasi, SA Media to DG BASEPA.
