In a bid to maintain cleanliness and health in Abia, the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) has detained 17 environmental offenders across various sites in Umuahia, the capital of the State.
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The individuals arrested, consisting of 7 men and 10 women, faced court charges for littering and carelessly dumping waste in the streets and drainage systems.
While addressing the media regarding the operation, ASEPA’s Deputy Manager for the Umuahia Zone, Catechist Ambros Jonah, represented by the Head of the Monitoring Unit, Mr. Marcauley Okpara, stated that these arrests aim to deter others from deliberately breaching Abia State’s environmental regulations.
Jonah highlighted the importance of maintaining environmental cleanliness and hygiene among the community, emphasizing that anyone found polluting the environment would face severe legal consequences, regardless of their social status.
He reiterated that the designated hours for waste disposal in Umuahia, from 5pm to 6am, remain unchanged, and mentioned that the monitoring team has begun thorough inspections of gutters on a street-by-street basis.
The environmental expert clarified that littering sachet water and waste around homes is still considered an offense, warning that ASEPA monitoring officers will promptly arrest and prosecute any shop owner, tenant, or market trader found guilty of such actions.
However, he noted that the court has provided each of the arrested individuals with the option to pay a fine.