PEPSA Sanctioned Violators of Monthly Sanitation in Jos.
By Azi Peter – Jos
The Plateau State Environmental and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA) on Saturday,during the Hours of 7 to 10Am,descended heavily on those that dared and defy the order of restrictions on movement and sanitation exercise for the Month of March.
The Exercise started very early an indication that the Agency’s preparedness to Sanitized the city inline with the time is now Mantra of Governor Caleb Mutfwang,who has since declared state of Emergency on Sanitation and a quest for his Government to eradicate open defecation and restore the glory of Plateau state as the Home of Peace and Tourism.
The Staff of the Agency, Security personels which comprises the Nigerian Police Force,Road Safety, Vehicle inspection officers,Magistrates,Journalists,Corp Members, Students on industrial attachments and other supportive staff were posted as early as 7Am were already at the strategic locations with mobile courts and the defaulters were tried by the Magistrates accordingly and fined various sums of money from 1000 to 5000 naira, depending on the offense and reactions of the Defaulters,some are ignorance of the mobile courts and respond harshly to the staff and in some extend dared the Magistrates some uses their professions such as the military,Doctors, Political office holders Among others but base on the Principles of the rule of law where the law is supreme and all citizens are equal before it, irrespective of their status,were all faced the full wrath of the law.
Despite the fact that,PEPSA’s efforts to strategist for media announcements,yet many of the defaulters denied knowledge of the Sanitation exercise,aside from usual radio announcements and jungles,there was fliers in various social media platforms.
At the Abatoir,over 49 defaulters were tried by the Magistrate,Mrs. Yop Hannatu Ashom.
After the exercise she assessed the Sanitation by saying many of the people complained of ignorance and is not an excuse In law and so many people came out doing their normal responsibilities and were given excuses of ignorance and if such excuses are entertained,the law will loose its viability.
All the defaulters were tried and fined based on PEPSA’S Law.
Mrs Ashom further advices all and sundry to try as much as possible to obey laws especially on environment which are good for our families and for sound healths.
Our reporter observes that there are good number of expatriates who are now working in so many factories including mining and other mineral resources and are in the forefront of violating the order.
Speaking after the Sanitation,Mr. Izang Pate,Acting Director of Administration of PEPSA, said the exercise was successful but there is more room for improvement and that,they will not relent on their oars.
They will support the administration’s efforts to keep the state clean.
