Date: 2020-03-06

The Kwara Ministry of Environment and Forestry has warned residents against indiscriminate refuse dumps to prevent a flood.

The government said such acts, could cause blockage of roads, environmental health hazards, and destruction of properties.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Aliyu Sherifdeen, gave the advice in Ilorin on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Sherifdeen said that the state waste management contractors would be reorganised for efficiency.

"A new model is being explored to ease the incidents of refuse dumps in the state, especially in the capital city.

"We call on the residents to support the state's environmental sanitation and appeal to Kwarans to vacate flood plains and also keep their environment clean. ''Also keep the environment free of refuse to ward off flooding, as another rainy season draws near.

"A new and more mechanised approach will be unleashed especially in Ilorin Metropolis by the beginning of April.

"This programme will be after the plan we have in the whole of March, and experimental waste management would be conducted strictly by the ministry.

"All residents are requested to give maximum cooperation to the operatives," he said.

The commissioner called on residents to embark on the clearing of gutters and run-off channels around their premises.

"Keep drainages and environment clean for easy water flow and make such places uncomfortable for rodents and other vectors of diseases such as mosquitoes and dangerous reptiles.

"This is important to prevent the calamity of a flood," he said.

Sherifdeen said that the ministry on its own part would soon begin the massive desilting of major drainage channels across the city.

"All those living around the Asa River banks and any other river across the state, like in Pategi, Kaiama and others should ensure zero tolerance for the refuse dump into the rivers.

"We also appeal to those living on flood planes to please quit with immediate effect,' he said.

NAN reports that the ministry has taken a bold step to close forests for all kinds of illegal activities for a period of three months, beginning from March 2 to May 31, and subsequently embark on massive tree planting.