From Christiana Gokyo, Jos
At least ten commercial motorcycle riders were arrested within Jos metropolis for failing to comply with the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
Offenders were fined amounts ranging from N1,000 to N20,000, depending on the severity of their violations.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the monitoring exercise, Chief Magistrate Debora Abok Nyam stated that the minimum fine of N1,000 is sufficient to deter individuals from disregarding sanitation laws.
She emphasized that the intent of the fines is not to impose hardship, but to encourage compliance. “Our goal is to make people feel the impact of paying fines—not necessarily through exorbitant amounts, but through the discipline it instills,” she said. Nyam urged residents to cooperate with the government by actively participating in the monthly exercise to help prevent cholera outbreaks, especially during the rainy season.
Also speaking during the exercise, Mr. Pam Barnabas, Director of Enforcement at the Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA), who represented the General Manager, expressed disappointment at the continued nonchalant attitude of residents despite repeated sensitization campaigns.
“Environmental sanitation is critical to preventing cholera, especially with the rains approaching. We don’t take pleasure in imposing fines, but when people refuse to comply with directives, we are left with no choice but to enforce the law,” Barnabas stated.
He noted that fines vary based on the gravity of the offense, ranging between ₦1,000 and ₦20,000. He also appreciated the efforts of security personnel, PEPSA staff, and members of the press in making the exercise a success.
In the same vein, Director of Administration, Izang Pate, called on Plateau State residents to cultivate the habit of maintaining a clean environment at all times, even without supervision.
During the monitoring exercise in Jos North Local Government Area, our correspondent observed that several communities showed little or no commitment to sanitation. In areas like Gangare, Congo Russia, Dilimi, and Angwan Rukuba, most residents failed to observe the designated three-hour cleanup period.
Food vendors, tricycle operators, and pedestrians were seen going about their businesses, while some shop owners had already opened for the day in defiance of the sanitation directive.
One tea vendor in Gangare was arrested for operating his business in an area littered with stagnant water and garbage heaps, posing serious health risks to the community.
Authorities warned that continued neglect of environmental sanitation could lead to a resurgence of cholera and other waterborne diseases, particularly with the onset of the rainy season.
