RSG To Review Environmental Laws

The Rivers State Government has restated its readiness to review all environmental laws in the state.

The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Nyema Weli who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt  shortly after monitoring this month’s environmental sanitation exercise in the city, also said that a bill to set up the Rivers State Environmental Protection Agency had been submitted to state House of Assembly.

Dr Weli said that the government was taking steps to review the laws in view of the realities of the time.

He said that the situation would help for the proper regulation of activities of some environmental groups such as the Rivgreen Marshalls as well as ensure the application of appropriate sanctions and penalties in the event of any environmental violations.

According to him, the development which will be in the best interest of the people will make the state, the best as for as environmental sanitation is concerned.

Meanwhile, Dr Weli has ordered for the removal of all abandoned vehicles and scrabs at the Ikoku / Olu-Obasanjo road.

Addressing traders in the areas during the exercise, the commissioner regretted that abandoned vehicles and scrabs had become a death trap for both the traders and their customers.

Dr Weli also took time to explain the importance of cleanliness to the traders, stressing that “government does not need to force them to do what is right especially as it concerns the cleanliness of their shades, as it is morally binding on them to do so.” He further said that cleanliness of the area was in their best interest as far as their health and that of their customers were concerned and also ordered. The smoke arising from a recent fire out- break that gutted some parts of the Ikoku spare parts market.

Some of the traders who spoke however blamed their union leaders for the poor sanitary condition of the area and urged for the relocation of the market to a more convenient location.