The Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Iniobong Essien has said in spite of the economic meltdown in the country and Akwa Ibom State in particular, that the State government through his Ministry will continue to carry out the monthly sanitation it started.
Dr. Essien who spoke in a telephone interview with THE INK in response to the rumours making the rounds that government may scrap out the environmental exercise said, although the exercise seems capital intensive, especially due to logistics, government cannot afford to toy or play politics with it because it affects the health of the citizenry.
Dr. Essien who is a medical expert explained that the environment sanitation exercise and indeed the overall cleaning on a daily basis, ranks among the present government’s first line charge; pointing out that “Cleanliness is and must be seen as next to Godliness.”
According to him, the exercise as being sustained via his Ministry would go a long way to frustrating the outbreak of the new Lassa Fever which is known to be spread by rats which are also known to enjoy filthy environment.
“And so you can see that if we allow our environment or surroundings to remain filthy and unkempt, rats are likely to have a filled day by taking undue advantage of the situation to invade our state and spread this deadly disease which has already claimed one life according to health sources”. Dr Essien disclosed.
He noted that the art of sanitation and cleanliness should be seen as a way of life just like feeding and not as a punishment as being misinterpreted in some quarters, while enjoining all and sundry to be sanitation conscious no matter the extent of their individual engagement.
“If sanitation was not a serious government concern, it would not have set aside funds annually to sustain and tackle it, so I enjoin everyone to follow government’s example closely.” He stated.
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