By Emma Sunday
The Chairman, Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, has announced the suspension of Saturday’s mandatory sanitation exercise in the state.
Nwanosike made the announcement shortly after meeting with the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday.
Nwanosike, had on assumption of office as the RIWAMA boss last month, announced compulsory monthly sanitation exercise amidst public outcry against the approach.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, the RIWAMA boss said the exercise would not hold till further notice as the governor directed for adoption of a different approach.
He said: “Subsequently, we also want to seize the opportunity to inform the people of Rivers State that the initially proposed environmental sanitation exercise that supposed to hold on October 4, is hereby put off until further notice. This is to allow us build more capacity in tackling the issues of refuse management in the State.
“The governor wants a different approach and to put a human face and make sure that the people see through waste management and to give them the best of it”.
Nwanosike said the governor is desirous of clean healthy environment for the people and had ordered actions to be taken against some challenges like the habit of blocking drains.
He said Gov. Fubara also assured the agency of all the support it needs to keep the environment clean and to carry out its daily activities adding that the governor has promised to assist the agency with new dumpsites.
He said: “It is the governor’s wish that the people live in good health. He is also aware of the little challenges as it concerns blocking of the drains which are activities caused by our people who use their refuse to block our drains.
“His Excellency has also given directives on the actions to take and after now Rivers people will enjoy the dividends of democracy in waste management.
“The actions of making sure that our refuse are properly managed, provision of new dump sites, properly managed dump sites and giving us all the infrastructure we need to make sure that we are able to give the needed results.
