Chris Oluoh

Rivers State Government has commenced test-running of sweeper machine, a device designed to sweep and clean public roads in the state.

The device is a mini truck motor with inbuilt mechanism which waters and sweeps roads cleaner than the usual manual method, as it removes sands and all types of particles on roads thereby making them last longer.

Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Kingsley Chinda who disclosed this to newsmen during Saturday’s monthly sanitation exercise said that Abarack company has already donated one of the sweeper machines to the ministry.

He said the company entered into an agreement with the state government to showcase its services within the state for a month.

The commissioner who revealed the intention of the state government to acquire a good number of the machines said it was in the light of  government intention that his ministry  started to train some staff on its operation and maintenance.

“In the interim, the company donated the sweeper machine as a demonstration. We are till trying to train our people on how to operate the machine so that we shall be in a position to operate and maintain them for reasonable extent,” he explained.

Chinda who led a team comprising the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Barrister Rufus Godwins, Special Adviser to the Governor on Pollution Control, Hon Dickson Omunakwe and other top officials of the ministry and the State Environmental Sanitation Authority to inspect  Saturday’s sanitation exercise expressed delight at the seriousness and active participation of people in the day’s exercise.

He remarked that Saturday’s exercise clearly showed an improvement compared to what it used to be and attributed the improvement to increasing level of consciousness of the people to cleaner sanitary standard and enjoined them to sustain the tempo.

The commissioner particularly lauded youths of Elelenwo community for organising themselves in active participation towards clearing drains and cleaning the community and charged youth in all parts of the state to emulate the Elelenwo youths for a healthy environment.

Assuring that his ministry is always ready to encourage healthy environment standard particularly in the quick disposal of refuse to dump sites, the commissioner reminded people of the state of the need to bag their refuse in line with the new policy of the state before dropping them at receptacles for quicker and easier disposal.

Meanwhile, the state government has taken steps towards developing the Boro Park flyover notoriously known for illegal trading activities. The Ministry of Environment in conjunction with the Environmental Sanitation Authority cleared the place of all illegal structures.

The Environment Commissioner said the clearing would be followed by greening of the area with grasses. He regretted that past efforts by the state government on the area failed to achieve desired result because each time traders and shanties were removed from the area, the place was left fallow.

“What we intend to do is to green the place. We have started the exercise. As we posses, we green and then we move to the next place,” he remarked.

Apart from the Boro park axis, the commissioner also said that government would reposes the Sangana Street market area and Bishop Okoye Street market behind Mile Three Park and also green the areas to end illegal street market and for aesthetic values.

Also to get such attention is the Presidential Hotel axis where illegal business take place. The area, he said would be inter-logged and used as car park.