The Borno state government has reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation twenty-six years after it was last carried out by a sitting government.
The exercise was re-introduced after almost all the crannies of the metropolis were overwhelmed by flood by the last raining season sending many people packing out of their homes.
Briefing newsmen in Maiduguri, Thursday, Commissioner of Environment, Mohammed Wanori called on residents to come out en mass to clean their environment on Saturday, 2nd November.
The Commissioner said that the state government has approved the first Saturday of every month for the cleaning of the entire state, especially where there are no insurgents to threaten the lives of the people.
Wanori hinted that during the exercise, all the drainage systems within Maiduguri metropolitan axis would be taken care of so that the floods which have been affecting residents would be eased off.
The Commissioner regretted that almost thirty per cent of Maiduguri was affected by flooding during the last raining season causing some people to create canoes to move to their areas because the floodwater produced by the blocked drainages were scary and life-threatening.
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Wanori lamented that over three thousand houses were affected in the bulunkutu area alone which he noted was not a good report at all for the citizenry.
“The government has set up a high-class committee headed by former Vice-Chancellor Professor Mala Daura to look into the issue of flooding and profer solutions.
“Over forty-one professionals were drafted into that important committee with a view to redesigning the drainage master plan of Maiduguri with my humble self as the project coordinator of the team.
“The feasibility study on the flood and hazard control of the entire flood mechanism will be looked into because the former master plan of the state capital which was last drawn up in 1976.”
On deforestation, he said that poverty was the main reason why most people in this part of the country relied solely on firewood to cook their meals.
“To curb the menace of deforestation, he has directed that tree planting should be rejuvenated in all parts of the state which is why I have started with the Borno State University where at least 15,000 trees are planted already.”
On solid waste management, he said that the ministry has acquired a permanent dumpsite at Auno to keep solid wastes as they mount up during the monthly sanitation.
“For now, they will be using transit dump sites pending the rejigging of the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA).
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