Environmental sanitation: The Udoumana Experience

BY ESTHER ETIM

Cleanliness as popularly said, is next to godliness.  Keeping our  environment neat and tidy promotes good health and thus, leads to a healthy life.

Though we sanitize our immediate surroundings daily, the government in August 2015, declared last Saturdays sacrosanct for the sanitation of the state forthwith.

The sanitation exercise is to further strengthen the sanitary habit of Akwa Ibom people as well as enhance the sustainability of a healthier environment for them to live in.  Moreover, those who disobey or refuse to observe the compulsory sanitation exercise do not go unpunished.

However, last month’s environmental sanitation exercise which took place over the weekend witnessed a tremendous turnout in many areas unlike the previous months. Residents of Udoumana and Umoren Close especially came out enmasse in compliance with the state government’s directive and cleaned-up their surroundings. Gutters were cleared of debris, grasses cut, portholes were filled and the tarred road was thoroughly swept.

 Movements in the area were restricted and shops were closed up until the end of the sanitation exercise. In a chat with Mr. Ime Nkop, a resident of the area who was seen clearing the gutter, “this month’s sanitation exercise is already a huge success and I am even surprised by the turnout of residents as well as their positive attitude towards the exercise.  As at quarter to seven, vehicles were no longer found on the road, which showed total compliance by the residents of the state”.

Mr. Nkop also expressed thus “I would like the government to employ more hands to aid in the swift transportation of the debris, to avoid them falling back into the gutters and hence causing our work to be in vain”.

Another resident, Junaid Ola, noted that the turnout and attitude of residents of the area towards the exercise was encouraging, contrary to what he used to see in his state. He further stressed the need for the government to encourage the exercise as it has promoted a better living environment.

Mrs. Gift Bassey, who was also seen weeding her frontage described the sanitation exercise as a commendable practice. She however posited that the exercise should be carried out at least bi-monthly to allow people attend to other events.

On the contrary, Christopher Wisdom suggested that the government should not relent its efforts in directing the monthly conduct of the sanitation exercise to ensure cleanliness of the environment, and thereby causing residents to have a breathe of fresh air.

Nevertheless, the State sanitation exercise should be promoted and residents of the state should strive to its success by always turning out enmasse to participate in it.  They should also endeavor to clear their gutters and cut their grasses whenever the need arises, not just waiting for last Saturdays alone. 

Moreso, defaulters of the sanitation rules should be arrested and severely punished to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to tow the same line.  In view of this, the government should ensure that total compliance is achieved by deploying security operatives to apprehend erring members of the public who still open their shops to sell during these periods without partaking in the exercise as well as residents who abandon their surroundings, leaving them unclean with lassie faire attitudes.

In addition to this, the government should employ more hands to clear the streets off the debris removed from gutters as there have been various complains that such have being left unattended to thus, causing them to fall back into the gutters. More hands should therefore be employed to help clear the roads and make them look neat and tidy after a thorough facelift by residents.