AKSEPWMA prosecutes 1,427 environmental offenders

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, (AKSEPWMA) has so far prosecuted 1,427 environmental offenders.

The Chairman, Board of Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, (AKSEPWMA), Prince Akpan Ikim said Akwa Ibom emerged the cleanest state in the country to the innovative models and initiatives factored in waste management and environmental protection by his administration in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Speaking on Monday in Uyo while briefing newsmen on the achievements of the agency to mark the 3rd anniversary of the present board, Ikim noted that the State government is determined and committed in tackling the challenges of environmental cleanliness in the State and to sustain the status of the cleanest state in the country.

“The agency has sustained the tempo of performance and intensified efforts on public awareness of its activities, public awareness/ sensitisation leads at 51 percent from 2 percent; street cleaning/vegetation control moved to 53 percent and desilting of gutters at 58 percent.

“The prosecution of environmental defaulters stood up to1,427 cases. Intervention on emergency case, on waste clearance stood at 68 percent from 7 percent, staff morale heightened to 63 percent from 5 per cent.

“The performance index of the agency, according to study carried out by Telsrad Projects revealed a 85 per cent performance input by the present day AKSEPWMA as compared to the preceding times before Governor Udom Emmanuel,” he stated.

Ikim explained that the ‘Greater Akwa Ibom Clean-up Campaign’ which flagged off on Saturday, October 10, 2020 was among the programmes conceived in line with global best practices, adding that it helped the state achieve and sustain its status as the cleanest state.

He stated that on assumption of office in 2018, his administration’s first port of call was to create a new road map to stand and hiring equipment to work, given the inherited blind blueprint and the dearth of working tools respectively.

He listed projects and initiatives for the coming year to include the institution of Special sanitation corps, Market sanitation corps; Clean-up club in schools, Community sanitation corps and AKSEPWMA enforcement unit.

The AKSEPWMA Chairman said ten waste management trucks was donated to the agency by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as a reward to the state for emerging the cleanest in the country.

He unveiled the first corporate logo of the agency as part of its rebranding initiative.