Environmental Matters: RSG Assures On Professionalism

Ibasa Ijegun Egba youth movement, protesting oil spillage and environmental degradation in Lagos recently

The Rivers State Govern
ment has assured of its commitment to ensure that all environmental issues are handled professionally and in line with international best practice.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Professor (Mrs) Roseline Konya said this at a meeting with Heads of Department of the Ministry in her office.
Prof Konya also said that the present administration was determined to rejuvenate the ministry with the view to providing it with state of the art facilities to ensure maximum productivity.
According to her, the Wike-led-administration is poised that all matters relating to the maintenance of a safe and healthy environment in the state are handled professionally according to best standard practice for the well being of the people.
The commissioner also decried the alarming rate of flooding in parts of the state especially Port Harcourt City, against this background that the various streams and canals which crisscrossed the city ought to serve as natural drains stressing that the situation which is embarrassing will be tackled headlong by the present administration.
While acknowledging that, the ministry was ill equipped to handle most of the challenges, she promised that the state government would provide the wherewithal to acquire the needed technical equipment and operational vehicles to enable the staff discharge their professional services to the people.
According to her, key areas the administration as the administration will address include the completion of the waste to wealth project, the rehabilitation of the ministry’s moribund laboratory as well as embark on intensive advocacy in the areas of noise pollution and acceptable sanity habits.
Prof Konya further said that the ministry would rebrand the annual World Environment Day celebration to bring in more participants from the private sector, while the National Sanitation Day celebration held annually nationwide on every 28th June will be resuscitated.
Meanwhile, Prof Konya has assured staff of the Ministry of Environment of better days ahead.
Speaking during her maiden meeting with staff of the ministry, she also advised them to work assiduously to effectively contribute to the overall success of the ministry’s set goal.
She said that the Wike-led-government was passionate towards the delivery of quality services to the people, adding that as civil servants they stand in a better position to contribute the attainment of that goal.
Prof Konya who promised to give more attention to training and retraining of staff, however, warned against mediocrity negligence and truancy and promised to reward hardwork.
Across section of staff in their responses, expressed delight and confidence in the ability of the commissioner deliver judging from her antecedent and pedigree.