Apparently  taking advantage of the non monitoring of the normal monthly sanitation exercise in Rivers State for four months running, some residents of Port Harcourt have decided to go back to their old ways.

Investigations by our correspondent on the 2nd of November indicated that most residents of Port Harcourt were not involved in any form of cleaning their environment despite the announcement to the contrary by the sanitation authority.

Although for the past months that sanitation was not monitored, people were advised to clean their environment all the time.

A cross section of residents spoken to by our correspondent on the development said it was counterproductive.

For Chima Okere, it was wrong for people to wait to be compelled before cleaning their environment.

According to him, the sanitation authority under Ade Adeogun has set a precedent and it was left for the residents to sustain what has been put on ground.

For Kitoye Dede, a refrigerator technician, it was unfortunate if people would only wait on the first Saturday to clean their environment.

He opined that one should always clean his or her environment but the last Saturday should be a major one since government has made it mandatory.

At the motor spare parts market however, some of the traders spoken to said they clean the environment each day they go out for business.

One of the traders, Mr. Ike Jonas who spoke to our correspondent said  leaders at  the market were encouraged by the work done by the sanitation authority and pledged their support in that direction.

On the common practice of playing football even on sanitation days at the spare parts market area, Mr. Jonas said the youths had since been called to order.

He said the traders would not come to the rescue of any of their members who flouts the sanitation laws of the state.

However for Mr. Johnson Dike a transporter, monitoring of sanitation should be sustained in order to instill in the citizen the need for a clean environment.

According to him, since our drainage system was not world class, there was need for sustained cleaning to avoid the accumulation of dirt and debris.

He was of the opinion that genuine  excuses like examinations and other government important functions could be allowed even as he said skeletal monitoring should be explored.

But for Lucy Amadi, it was a matter of attitude. She said one should not be surprised to know that many people are happy that sanitation has not been monitored for some months.

She said this was because when sanitation was observed as at when due people still defaulted in one way or the order.

As at the time of going to press, efforts to speak with the Rivers State Sanitation Authority’s spokesman, Olalekan Ige was not successful.

L-R: Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Mr Efiok Cobham; Representative of the Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Laraba Bagaiya; Representative of Governor of Benue, Dr Salifu David and Manager, Global Sanitation Fund, Mr Mark Willis, at the launch of Global Fund/ Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria programme in Abuja, recently. Photo: NAN