Osogbo, Osun State – Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has given his immediate approval for the commencement of a mandatory two-hour weekly environmental sanitation exercise across the entire state, effective this Thursday. This directive aims to significantly improve public hygiene and combat environmental degradation within Osun.
The crucial announcement was detailed in a statement issued by Samuel Aina, the Head of Service and Chairman of the recently established Osun State Environmental Sanitation Task Force. According to Aina, the initiative mandates the physical presence and active participation of various entities, including offices, market operators, shop owners, artisans, malls, stores, and other business premises owners, during the designated sanitation period.
To ensure widespread compliance, law enforcement agents will be strategically deployed to support the task force. However, Aina clarified that their role is strictly to enforce adherence to the sanitation exercise and not to make arrests. This approach emphasizes cooperation and community responsibility over punitive measures.
The core objective behind this weekly clean-up drive, as explained by Aina, is to tackle the persistent issues of indiscriminate refuse disposal and other violations of environmental regulations. By addressing these challenges, the state government seeks to proactively prevent potential disease outbreaks and maintain a consistently high standard of cleanliness throughout Osun State. Residents have been urged to extend their full cooperation to authorities during the exercise, which is scheduled to take place between 8 am and 10 am.
Broader Push for Cleanliness
This new initiative by Governor Adeleke follows previous calls for enhanced environmental management within the state. PUNCH Online had earlier reported that the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, had directed the Ministry of Environment to urgently address the growing issue of refuse heaps accumulating along major roads. Furthermore, the ministry was instructed to clear blocked drainages and waterways.
Speaker Egbedun had emphasized the need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to sanitation, urging all relevant government agencies to collaborate effectively. Governor Adeleke’s new weekly sanitation exercise appears to be a direct and decisive step towards realizing this broader vision of a cleaner and healthier Osun State for all its inhabitants.