*hints on resumption of monthly sanitation
By; FUNMI ADERINTO, Kaduna
The Administrator of Kaduna Capital Territory Authority, Hafiz Bayero, on Thursday, called on Kaduna metropolis residents to participate in the maiden edition of the ‘KadCity Clean Up’ to align its plans for a cleaner, greener Kaduna City.
Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Hafiz Bayero said the Kaduna State Government will commemorate with the entire world, marking of the World Earth Day in an event billed for the Government House Conference Hall on Friday April 22, 2022.
The 2022 Earth Day rightly themed, “invest in Our Planet” is a global call to preserve and protect the planet.
According to him, “the World Earth Day with a theme is investing in our planet, and what we hope to achieve in our city in terms of protecting our environment”.
Bayero explained that, “Sustainability is the key aspect of city management, we must build a city that is able to grow in a sustainable manner that is clean and productive”.
He further stated that, “this agenda is not only in Kaduna but in Zaria and Kafanchan, the state has decided to come up with the Initiative to clean up the city today Friday in commemoration of the World Earth Day”.
“However, within the last three days, we have volunteers from all across the city who have signed up to join us to clean various parts of Kaduna.
“We hope to likely bring back our monthly environmental sanitation, this will be done in a manner that does not hinder movement, people will be allowed to start very early, it will start by 6am hopefully by 8am they are done to allow people to go about their businesses,” he disclosed.
Hafiz noted that, “we feel this is necessary because if we go into communities we have stopped living like our brothers keepers, we need to foster more on community relationship, we need to foster more neighbourliness that we used to have.”
He stressed that, “people argue that because of the monthly sanitation, they don’t clean their environment until next month cleaning, but we have all seen that it is very important to clean up our environment regularly.”
The administrator said the state is also planning to ban plastic within the state and also encourage recycling if waste among the people of the state, and also assured of Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s ‘ approval to dredge the river Kaduna in a bid to address the annual flooding being experienced in the state.
Hafiz disclosed that, “we are looking at bringing electronic keke-Napeps they are being manufactured in Nigeria we’re thinking of purchasing some and working with other motorcycles association to purchase this electronic vehicles that will replace fuel types that we currently have,” he disclosed.
He added that there are also plans to enforce the law using traditional leaders in collaboration with the Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA) to ensure a clean and healthy environment.
Hafiz Bayero added that the state is planning to introduce made in Nigeria electronic tricycle,municipal mass transit buses, aimed at improving the transport system within the state.
“The state in a move to marking the day is planning on bringing back monthly environmental sanitation within the state municipality from this Friday starting with five different areas comprising of Rigasa, Kawo, ,Karji Junction, Command Junction, and Stadium roundabout.
“This government is very innovative, a government that brings new ideas, it is something to discuss new ideas it is better when those ideas are brought forward it is for everyone to see and integrated into our way of life,” he added.
He advised that, if people don’t want their house to be flooded, they should work with them to make sure they clear their drainages, as well as regular sweeping of environment.
“In commemoration of World Earth Day, this will be sustainable in terms of cleaning as we will have a cleaner environment. NGOs and volunteers have agreed to partner with us. I am sure it will be successful,,” he added.
