House-to-house sanitary inspection more result-oriented

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has said that the house-to-house environmental sanitation inspection is more result-oriented in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).Mrs Aishat Adebayo, the Deputy Director, Environmental Health and Sanitation Department, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.She said officials of the board had carried out successful house-to-house inspections and caught many residents who refused to comply with healthy residential accommodation rules.'House-to-house sanitary inspection is better and more effective than the old style where peoples' movement were being restricted, yet they would not participate in the sanitation exercise.'Most residents were not participating until this new system was introduced, and with this, we have identified many defaulters who will soon be prosecuted.'Adebayo further explained that the house-to-house sanitation was more diplomatic, adding that defaulters were given abetment notice, which meant 24 hours for them to do the right thing.According to her, there are some offences that will take some time to correct, adding: 'we will still give them the benefit of the doubt.'We will still go for re-inspection and thereafter, if we find out that one deliberately refused to comply, then we prosecute.'With this, it takes only a stubborn and adamant resident to be prosecuted. 'Adebayo said that the Abuja Environmental Sanitation Mobile court last Saturday, prosecuted more than 166 residents for various sanitation offences.She said that 150 residents and 16 residents were prosecuted in Garki Area II and Wuye District of Abuja respectively, adding that fines imposed on were determined by the magnitude of offences committed.'Unkempt and dirty environment, fish farming in residential premises, dumping of construction waste and cooking with fire wood within residential premises are some of the offences we found residents committing,' she saidThe deputy director urged the people to report any violation of environmental sanitation rules to the board for prompt action, to serve asa deterrent to other violators of the law.She gave assurance that officials would continue to sensitise residents on the need to live in a healthy environment.
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