Due to their failure to follow the sanitation laws in Ekiti State, twenty people, including traders, were arrested on Saturday and prosecuted. Their goods were also seized.
After observing this month’s activity, Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation Mr. Tunde Balogun made the announcement.
According to Balogun, the criminals who were apprehended were compelled to undergo punishment in order to teach others a lesson.
The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Babatunde Alokan, also voiced his displeasure with the degree of compliance from the populace.
He observed that people in areas like Okeyin market, motor parks and majorly Okesa market were engaging in normal business activities against the order of the sanitation which restrict trading and movement of people.
Mr Alokan said despite various sensitisation and jingles on the radio as well as social media, the attitude of people to hygienic environment is still poor.
“We are not happy to see operational markets during environmental sanitation. Government will not fold its arms and allow residents to continue to engage in habits that can encourage epidemic,” Alokan said.
The permanent secretary who maintained that efforts would be geared towards more sensitisation, however, appreciated the residents of Igbehin street, Basiri, Bank Road, Ajilosun, Ilawe Road and Federal Poly Road for compliance.
While sensitising the market women, the General Manager, Waste Management Authority, Mr Ayoola Osalusi appealed to traders to stop indiscriminate waste disposal and make use of government refuse vans to make their environment tidy.
In the same vein, Balogun advised market women to stop displaying their goods by the roadside as doing so constitutes health hazards.
