The Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA) has warned that anyone who violates the state’s monthly sanitation exercise will be prosecuted, stressing that sanitation is the responsibility of all citizens regardless of gender.
The agency issued the warning on Saturday during the August sanitation exercise across Jos and Bukuru metropolis, which led to the sealing of an NNPC Limited filling station and the prosecution of several defaulters at the Magistrate Court.
Speaking after the exercise, PEPSA’s Director of Administration, Izang Pate Dauda, who represented the Director General, Samuel Dapiya, said it was disturbing that men formed the majority of violators.
“Sanitation knows no gender. I would say that this sanitation exercise was fairly okay, but I am not happy because I discovered that most of the defaulters were men. Sanitation involves everybody; it does not consider gender. So, I want to use this opportunity to call on everyone, regardless of gender, to always participate in the monthly sanitation. We must maintain our environment, because our environment is our home,” he said.
Dauda also frowned at markets and traders who continue to defy sanitation rules despite repeated sensitisation efforts.
“When we went round, we discovered that some marketplaces are always open, especially on the last Thursday of every month. This office has been mobilizing people to go out and sensitize traders on market sanitation, but unfortunately, some shop owners and business operators are still insisting on opening. We are going to change our strategy so that we can properly tackle the issue of marketers operating during sanitation,” he explained.
He further condemned filling stations dispensing fuel during the exercise, insisting that such practices undermine the entire exercise.
“If you followed the media, we placed strong emphasis on filling stations because they are often responsible for some of the problems we are experiencing. Dispensing fuel during sanitation hours is not acceptable. As an agency, we will do our best to involve filling stations as stakeholders in sanitation so that we can hold meetings with them and agree on the way forward,” he stated.
On claims of ignorance by some defaulters, particularly travelers and multinational staff, the PEPSA official maintained that the law does not excuse anyone.
“Ignorance is not an excuse. Most of those prosecuted are people coming from neighboring states, which should not be the case, since every state observes sanitation. Plateau State cannot be different. Anyone arrested for violating sanitation laws will be prosecuted accordingly,” he warned.
Dauda added that even government agencies are not exempt from compliance, noting that Plateau Riders are only permitted to operate with limited passes.
“Nobody is above the law. In the case of Plateau Riders, we usually give them a pass to operate during sanitation, but not all vehicles are covered. We are working with them because they are also our partners, and that is why we issue them permits to move at that particular period,” he said.
