Korede Abdullah 
EKITI, Nigeria – The Ekiti State Government has prosecuted 55 residents for allegedly breaching environmental sanitation regulations during the February monthly clean-up exercise.
In a statement issued on Monday in Ado Ekiti by the state Ministry of Environment and made available to PUNCH Online, the government said the offenders were arraigned for violating the sanitation restriction order during the designated hours on Saturday. Magistrates who handled the cases fined 54 of the offenders, while one individual was granted pardon.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Sunday Omoya, who monitored residents’ compliance across Ado Ekiti, said the exercise was designed to promote environmental responsibility among citizens.
“The initiative is aimed at encouraging people to take responsibility for their environment. We want to ensure that everyone understands the importance and purpose of this exercise and fully complies,” Omoya said, warning that anyone found outdoors without a legitimate reason during the restricted hours would face sanctions.
Also speaking, the Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Ayodele Aluko, stressed the connection between environmental hygiene and public health, noting that cleanliness remained essential to disease prevention.
“As we pursue growth and development, we must also ensure good health for our people. A clean environment remains fundamental to healthy living,” Aluko said, adding that blocked drainage systems and polluted surroundings were major causes of disease outbreaks.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing sanitation laws and urged residents to comply with future exercises, which require people to remain indoors while cleaning their surroundings to promote a healthier environment.
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