Oyo State Government on Friday prosecuted 32 individuals for indiscriminate waste disposal, including dumping sachet water nylons, refuse, and other waste materials at road medians and unauthorised places.
The Tribunal judge, Barrister Olumide Abifarin, disclosed this during a hearing held at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Ibadan.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, in Ibadan, the state capital, said the offenders were fined N50,000 each for violating environmental sanitation laws.
The statement said, “Environmental officials arrested the offenders in March, and they were charged with three offences: Illegal waste dumping; failure to register with accredited waste collectors; and failure to provide a waste bin.”
He said that dumping refuse in unauthorised locations is punishable under Sections 74(a) and 97 of the Environmental Sanitation and Waste Control Regulations 2013.
“It is a legal requirement for all households and commercial establishments to own a waste bin and patronise an accredited waste collector,” it added.
The defendants pleaded guilty and admitted that their actions were unlawful, requesting the court’s leniency.
In his ruling, Abifarin stressed that the state could achieve cleanliness comparable to Rwanda, known as one of the world’s cleanest countries.
He reminded the residents that all homes, offices, religious centres, and commercial spaces must have proper waste disposal systems and must register with licensed waste collectors.
The judge emphasised that dumping refuse in drains, rivers, roadsides, and medians, as well as burning waste and obstructing environmental officials, are punishable offenses.
However, he showed leniency by waiving penalties for the second and third charges, imposing only the ₦50,000 fine for illegal waste disposal.
Follow us now for more news in Oyo State. Oyo Truth is an independent online news /medium reporting up-to-date events, happenings and activities related to Oyo State, Nigeria.
Leave a Reply