From Rashidat AbdulRahman, Minna
The Niger State House of Assembly has called on the executive arm of government to revive the monthly sanitation exercise in the state in order to keep the environment clean.
The call was made in a motion moved by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abubakar during plenary on Tuesday.
Abubakar, who lamented the poor sanitation in the state, said residents have turned drainage channels into refuse dumps which leads to blockage of drainages and often cause flooding, especially during downpour.
He also emphasised that sanitation was key to the prevention of disease outbreak and their escalation.
According to him Section 5, Subsection 1 of the State Environmental Protection Agency (amendment) Law 2011provides that,
“The Governor may declare any Saturday of the month as an environmental sanitation day”.
“Periodic environmental sanitation exercise will go a long way in reducing pressure on our health and unnecessary loss of lives “.he said.
Contributing, members representing, Agiae, Hon Isah Mohammed Etsugaie, Bida South, Hon -Haruna Mohammad Suleja, Hon. Sani Umar and Tafa constituency, Hon. Mohammed Sani Idris commended the mover of the motion, urging the state government to flash back to the immediate past administration where the commissioner for Information and 25 local government chairmen travelled to Ghana for research on waste management instead of dumping refuse beside the street.
They said that the move would help in curbing youth restiveness as it will treat employment in the state.
The Speaker of the 10th Assembly, Barr. AbdulMalik Mohammed SarkiDaji commended members for their contributions and expressed hope that the motion would be considered by the state government.
He, therefore announced the seven additional ministries created by Governor Umar Mohammed Bago at the floor of the house.
The additional ministries are as follows Ministry of Communication Technology & Digital Economy, Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education, Ministry of Secondary & Tertiary Healthcare and Ministry of Homeland Security.
Others are: Ministry of Power & Renewable Energy, Ministry of Rural Development Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs & Disaster Management.
In another development, member representing Tafa Constituency, Mohammed Sani Idris moved a motion calling on the state government to put in place a mechanism to reopen the schools that were closed down due to insecurity.
The motion was however stepped down till when committees are assigned to legislators.