Abia State Government says may establish a sanitation Court inside the Orie Ugba market in Umuahia, saying that the court, when established would try environmental offenders in the market.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna stated this on Saturday after monitoring the September edition of monthly Clean Up exercise.
Ogbonna expressed worry that some traders in the market have continued to defy the State government, by messing up the Orie Ugba market’s environment with stenchy garbage, a situation he warned, could contaminate foods and other consumables sold to the public .
” If they continue that way, we are going to establish Sanitation Court in that market, if they keep violating .”, Ogbonna said.
He further raised the alarm at the activities of some residents who block gutters with wastes, saying that it is responsible for the increasing cases of flooding in parts of Abia State.
Ogbonna however thanked Abia residents who participated in the September environmental sanitation exercise, saying that it was in their own interests to clean up their surroundings.
Meanwhile, seventy one persons were arrested in different parts of Umuahia on Saturday for loitering and trading during the Clean Up hours.
The defaulters were arraigned at Abia State Mobile Sanitation Court located at Umuahia High Court complex.
The Presiding Magistrate, Onyinyechi Chinenye Ibekwe prosecuted fourty one persons for breaking Abia State basic environmental laws, and also ordered them to pay fines to Abia State government.
Six defaulters were also were ordered to perform community service.
Twenty persons who presented evidence of their poor medical conditions and those who identified themselves as students, were released without any option of fine.
