Oyo Environmental Vanguard apprehends 55 offenders
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
The Oyo State government has reiterated its resolve not overlook environmental infractions, as the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, through its Environmental Vanguards, apprehended and secured the conviction of 55 offenders in Ibadan in August.
The offenders were apprehended for various violations of the state’s environmental laws and were subsequently prosecuted and convicted in accordance with the provisions of the law.
The state Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Ademola Aderinto, stated that the development was part of the ministry’s intensified monitoring and enforcement efforts towards ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and sustaining a clean, healthy and habitable environment across the state.
The development was contained in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, on Thursday.
Aderinto reaffirmed the commitment of the state government to strengthening environmental enforcement, warning residents, business owners and other stakeholders against activities capable of degrading the environment, stressing that environmental laws ought to be obeyed by all.
The commissioner further urged members of the public to support the government’s efforts by complying with environmental regulations, adopting proper waste disposal practices and promptly reporting environmental infractions to the appropriate authorities.
He stressed that open dumping and the dumping of refuse on road medians are strictly prohibited in Oyo State, adding that all forms of refuse disposal must be carried out through accredited waste contractors directly from the source, in line with the state government’s approved waste management system.
