Kwara Inaugurates Environmental Taskforce

The Kwara State Government has inaugurated an Environmental Taskforce to enforce compliance of Environmental laws across the state.

ROYAL NEWS reports that this is in a bid to further sustain a clean and healthy environment that will be habitable for all.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Mallam Shehu Ndanusa Usman revealed this during the inauguration of the Taskforce held at the Ministry Conference hall, Ilorin, yesterday.

According to him, “you may recall that the Ministry has taken sensitization to Traditional rulers, Marketers and other stakeholders in the state on the need to inform their subjects to adhere strictly to the State Environmental laws or face the full wrath of the law.

“We also informed the public that starting from the first week of February, marketers caught displaying goods on the pedestrian paths, medians and any other areas that will inhibit the free movement of vehicles or people plying the road will have their goods confiscated.”

In addition, the Commissioner also said that, “the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on pedestrian paths, medians and any other unapproved dump sites will attract a fine of N50,000 for individuals and N200,000 naira for corporate organisations or imprisonment”.

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The Commissioner therefore warned environmental violators to desist from violation of laws, stating that, henceforth, anybody caught selling goods on pedestrians or road medians or dropping refuse indiscriminately will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He disclosed that the punishment for deforestation and charcoal production will take effect from the 1st of February, 2024, adding that offenders will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

The Commissioner therefore, charged members to exhibit high level of commitment to the task ahead to ensure sanitary in our environment and reduction in the level of deforestation across the state.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Hajia Afusat Ibrahim commended the initiative of the Honourable Commissioner in constituting the Taskforce to complement efforts of the Ministry in its strive to ensure a clean and healthy environment in the state.

The members of the Taskforce comprise Environmental Health Officers, Forestry Officers, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Civil Defense, KWARTMA, KWEPA, National Youths Council, among others.