Members of the Niger State House of Assembly have called on the Executive arm of government to re-introduce the monthly sanitation exercise to forestall the outbreak of diseases and natural disasters like floods in the state.
The motion to that effect was raised by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Mohammed Abubakar on the floor of the house and was seconded by the member representing Gbako, Yahaya Abubakar.
Abubakar decried the number of refuse dumps littering Minna, the state capital and other major towns, arguing that if not tackled, could put the state and the residents under serious health hazards and environmental disaster.
The lawmaker insisted, “refuse can be seen littered all around Minna, the state capital and other major cities and this is not good. Unclean environments and flooding can trigger disease outbreaks such as Lassa fever, cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, and so on.”
“Section 5 subsection 1 of the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (Amendment) Law 2011 provided for the Governor to declare any Saturday of the month as an Environmental Sanitation Day”.
Consequently, after deliberations, the lawmakers unanimously adopted and affirmed the motion.
The motion calling on the executive arm of government to put mechanisms in place for the reopening of schools closed due to insecurity was, however, stepped down until the House Committees were formed.
The Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji then assured the lawmakers that the various house committees would be constituted next week.
