Osun to Resume Strict Enforcement of Thursday Environmental Sanitation Exercise

The Osun State Government has announced that it will resume strict enforcement of the Thursday environmental sanitation exercise as part of efforts to promote a cleaner and healthier environment across the state.

The Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mayowa Adejoorin, made this known while featuring on a radio programme in Osogbo. He emphasised the need for residents to take environmental cleanliness seriously and support the government’s efforts to maintain a clean and sustainable environment.

Adejoorin noted that the reintroduction of strict enforcement would help address indiscriminate dumping of refuse, blocked drainage channels and other unhealthy environmental practices contributing to flooding and environmental degradation in the state.

“The enforcement of the Thursday sanitation exercise is necessary to instil discipline and ensure that our environment is kept clean. Residents must embrace proper waste disposal habits, clear their surroundings and ensure that drainage channels around their homes and business premises remain free of obstructions,” he said.

The commissioner stressed that maintaining a clean environment should not be the sole responsibility of the government but a collective duty requiring the cooperation of individuals, communities, market associations, religious organisations and other stakeholders.

As part of measures to strengthen environmental compliance, the Osun State Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation has intensified its sensitisation campaign across the state, engaging traditional rulers, Iyalojas, Babalojas, Baales, religious leaders and other critical stakeholders on the dangers of indiscriminate waste disposal.

At a recent engagement with stakeholders, the taskforce explained that dumping refuse on major roads and waterways, as well as engaging in other prohibited environmental practices, would attract enforcement measures in line with the state’s environmental regulations. The stakeholders were also urged to educate their members and residents of their respective communities on the need to maintain environmental cleanliness and comply with government directives.

The taskforce has equally taken its sensitisation efforts to the media, featuring on radio programmes to educate the public on proper waste management, the dangers of blocking waterways and the need to prevent flooding through responsible environmental practices.

The renewed enforcement of the Thursday sanitation exercise is expected to complement these ongoing efforts by encouraging residents to dedicate time to cleaning their surroundings and ensuring that public spaces remain free of refuse.

The state government has continued to emphasise the importance of collective responsibility in tackling environmental challenges, particularly indiscriminate waste disposal and activities that obstruct the free flow of water during rainfall.

Residents are therefore encouraged to cooperate with environmental officials and comply with sanitation directives to safeguard public health, prevent avoidable flooding and make Osun State cleaner and safer for everyone.