RSG Condemns Polo Club’s Environmental Condition

The Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Kingsely Chinda has decried the deplorable environmental condition of Polo Club at the new GRA, Port Harcourt.

The Commissioner expressed his displeasure on Friday while supervising the demolition of dilapidated stables at the Polo Club.

Chinda who was represented by the Director of Environment and Safety, Mr Napoleon Ewule told newsmen that four years ago, the Ministry of Environment served the management of the club notice to abate the nuisance resulting from the faeces of the animal (horses), saying that instead of assuaging the problems, the management went to court, but later withdrew the case, promising to rehabilitate the place.

He said, ever since, the Polo Club had remained the same with the odour from the horses faeces polluting the air around the environment, noting that the state government decided to pull down the dilapidated structures in order to avert spread of disease to the people living in the environment.

According to him, the structures were built on fence wall contrary to the state health laws adding that the animals co-habited with the stable boys who may be contaminated by the animals.

He advised the authority to rebuild the stables to international standard, adding that in rebuilding the stables, the Ministry of Environment should be contacted for approval.

In his reaction, Tella Anthony, one of the owners of the demolished stables complained that the demolition was hasty which has rendered the animals homeless.

He however, admitted that the management had not done enough to improve the condition of Polo Club.