The Benue State government, under Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, is set to enforce stricter measures against violators of sanitation laws. This initiative aims to create a cleaner and safer environment for residents, as announced by the General Manager of the Benue State Environmental Sanitation Agency (BENSESA), Jennifer Nashima Daniels.
“We are going to go down hard on the offenders, people who have deliberately refused to adhere to sanitation laws in the state,” Ms. Daniels stated at the agency’s headquarters in Makurdi. The crackdown is part of a broader effort to effect behavioural change, encouraging regular cleanup practices rather than relying solely on monthly sanitation exercises.
Upon her appointment, Ms. Daniels said inherited an agency facing significant challenges. “I met a dead system,” she revealed, describing non-functional trucks that had been out of service for up to eight years. However, Governor Alia’s administration has released funds to refurbish the agency’s fleet. Currently, five trucks have been restored to working condition.
BENSESA’s revitalisation plan extends beyond equipment repairs. The agency has initiated sensitisation and inspection programmes to ensure compliance with environmental laws across the state. Ms. Daniels emphasised that these efforts would not be limited to Makurdi but would extend to all 23 local government areas in Benue State.
To address sanitation issues in hard-to-reach areas, BENSESA plans to install roll-on bins and provide public mobile toilets, tackling problems of open defecation and urination. These measures are part of a comprehensive strategy to improve cleanliness throughout the state.
The agency is also addressing its own infrastructure needs. Renovation work has begun on the administrative block, which had been abandoned by the previous administration. Ms. Daniels expressed gratitude to Governor Alia for his commitment to remodelling and equipping BENSESA for optimal service delivery.
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