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......Promises Steeper penalties, atleast N10,000 fine per violator fine proposed
The Plateau State Government has continued the removal of illegal structures used by traders around the terminus area. Recall that the Director General of the Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA) Mr Samuel Dapiya and General Manager of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) Arch Hart Bankat had began the clearing of the Terminus area, removing all illegal structures as part of the enforcement of the Executive Order No. 3 which was signed by the Executive Governor of Plateau State Barrister Caleb Mannaseh Mutfwang.
In furtherance of this, and to enforce the Monthly Environmental Sanitation, the Director General Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA) Mr Samuel Dapiya, who was joined by Accountant General Plateau State Mrs. Naanret Manset, GM Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) Hart Bankat, GM Plateau Express Services Mr Samuel Jok, Secretary of the Agency Barrister Binchen Jantur, Executive Secretary Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency Plateau State Pharm Kim Bot, Transition Implementation Committee Chairman of Jos South Hon Peter Vwang Dung and other Political appointees at the Old Main Market to remove illegal structures to further clear the area.
The team was later joined by the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Plateau State Mr Philemon Daffi (Esq), Commissioner of Transport Davou Jatau, Commissioner for Agriculture Hon Samson Ishaku Bugama who visited the Terminus area during the demolition of shantees.
Drainages and water ways which were blocked by illegal structures were also distilled in order to allow free flow of water when the rains fall. The team then visited the popular Salisu Adamu Junction where Youths were seen helping with the distillation of drainages and Evacuation of waste into the Bins provided by PEPSA.
The DG PEPSA while interacting with the elders of Layin Dankarfalla, Bauchi Road, appreciated the efforts of the community in distilling drainages and water ways. He expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance with his earlier directive that Youths of the area should participate in the distilling of drainages and evacuation of waste. He urged them to sustain the efforts to ensure that the community is clean for health benefit of the community.
The DG PEPSA, Mr Samuel Dapiya and his team then joined the Transition Implementation Committee Chairman of Jos South Hon Peter Vwang Dung in enforcing the sanitation.
While addressing Journalists at Angul-D Junction the DG PEPSA, Mr Samuel Dapiya said that there was relatively better compliance in areas in Jos North LGA compared to Jos South.
"I think my honest assessment is there's little compliance. We went to Jos north We got partial compliance from Gangare junction. From Gangare junction down to where we assessed the flood by Islamia junction."
"You know, there was minimal compliance down to Jos south. What we saw in Jos south was in fact something else because with this kind of crowd it shows that people are just adamant to break the law and going forward from next month would make necessary adjustments and plans to ensure that there's a watertight and a very comprehensive planning of total enforcement on subsequent sanitations."
The TIC Chairman of Jos South Hon Peter Vwang Dung on his part lamented the flagrant disobedience of the ban on movement of vehicles, humans and commodities between 7am and 10am. He however noted that those defaulters were not his constituents but foreigners where were traveling through the State. He called for steeper penalities and a fine of atleast N10,000 per violator as against the current N1,000 fine which he said violators just pay and continue to violate the restriction of movement.
"Well, the passersbys are not from my local government. They are coming from other states, some from other local governments. But my observation for today is people don't want to respect law. And this law is for our own good, all of us."
"A law must be respected. 3 hours in a day cannot reduce anything from you. This sanitation starts from seven to ten. If you stay from seven to ten you are free to pass. And we have a flow passage. But so sum will come that they are paying 1000 to move."
"It's not allowed to pay fine If you pay farm you must be there. They must keep you there to face the punishment so that next time you will not come and pay 1000. That 1000 is grossly inadequate."
"We are advising the government from next month, fine should be N10,000 and above so that people will feel it and tomorrow they will respect the. law We are all Nigerians. That is essence why we are here. Your full name please."
The Executive Secretary of the Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency (DMCMA) Plateau State Pharmacist Kim Bot commended the DG PEPSA for his relentless efforts aimed at keeping Jos clean. He however lamented the attitude of residents towards keeping a clean environment.
"I first of all want to salute the efforts of the DG of PEPSA, Mr Samuel Dapiya He has been doing a fantastic job. And for me, coming from the health perspective, I want to say that sanitations are intended by the government to make the people healthy, to make the environment healthy."
"But sadly, people are not seeing it as something that would benefit them. You can imagine the first place we stopped by, we actually saw that the drainages were blocked. And then we saw gatherings of flies in early rains like this.
It's already a pointer to cholera and to some other forms of outbreaks."
"In fact, from what we saw when the demolitions were going on, you could actually see rodents actually escaping. So this even explains why Lassa fever is an issue to us and we are finding it very difficult to clear it. So, honestly, I want to encourage the generality of the public to particularly prioritize sanitation."
"And I just want to encourage the DG of PEPSA to keep it up because he's doing a good job. And I know that by the grace of God, we are going to surmount this.".
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