The Chief Executive Officer of Delta State Orientation Bureau, DSOB, Barrister Latimore Oghenesivbe, has again appealed to working Journalists in the state to partner governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration on cities beautification and cleanliness advocacy, saying that dirty environment constitutes health hazards.
Oghenesivbe in a statement on Friday, and made available to newsmen, said the appeal became necessary in reaction to an online newspaper which took a swipe on the management of Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, DSCTDA, under the leadership of Chief Patrick Ukah, fnipr, for taking appropriate measures to ensure that citizens perform their civic responsibility.
He said no responsive, responsible and result oriented government would fold it’s hands and watch streets littered with refuse, pointing out that it was and still the responsibility of citizens to properly dispose their refuse in designated areas or point for collection by the State waste management board or her agents.
Oghenesivbe, who is also the Executive Assistant on Communication strategy to Governor Oborevwori of Delta State, faulted the report of the online newspaper which alleged that penalties for improper disposal of refuse was a deliberate attempt by the state government to further make life difficult for the people, pointing out that there was no legal or moral justification for citizens not to keep their environment clean.
He noted that even in the Western world or developed nations, government does not provide waste bins for citizens in their homes or offices for free, because such provisions, where they exist, were already inbuilt in multifaceted taxes and other deductions by government, whereas citizens in Delta are not subjected to ridiculous taxes paid by individuals in advanced democracies.
Oghenesivbe, disclosed that realistic reforms as encapsulated in the MORE agenda of governor Sheriff Oborevwori, entails a paradigm shift from disease pruned environment, to a healthy Delta, where health hazards cannot rear its ugly head.
He said all hands, including those of respected members of the Press, must be on deck to support the good intentions of the State capital territory development agency, under the leadership of Chief Patrick Ukah, to do the needful and to ensure that all offices and homes in the state are kept clean, while deviants are made to face the consequences of of their actions or inactions.
Oghenesivbe, said the Press is saddled with constitutional responsibility in it’s capacity as fourth estate of the realm, and as watch dog of society; to be objective, factual, unbiased, professionally proactive and to support reforms, policies and programmes of government tha seeks to protect and promote public interest, encourages patriotism, good conscience, law and order.
“It is important to correct the wrong impression and/or notion created by an online newspaper concerning penalities imposed on defaulters of environmental sanitation or cleanliness initiative, especially improper disposal of refuse in the state capital.
“As responsible citizens, we must keep our environment clean and dispose refuse properly. The refuse is our responsibility to dispose, because we are the source of it, not the government.
“It is obvious that under the leadership of His Excellency, the Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, filthy environment cannot be condoned. We must now dispose refuse properly and responsibly.
“Delta is not a lawless state or society, we have laws in operation, and we have executive orders in force. It is the express order of the governor that we keep our homes and offices clean. It is moral and lawful. Journalists should therefore partner with government to make Delta obsolutely clean.
“Working Journalists in the state has been and stillajor partners in progress with the governor and the government. We must continue to work together for the good of our state and society.
“Apart from DSCTDA, there is the Taskforce on Environment Sanitation with well trained Marshals under the leadership of Chief Godspower Ashiuwhu, to ensure that our state is clean and healthy, and it must be so.
“I wish to appeal to our media partners and Journalists in the state to help project government policies, programmes and achievements in this dispensation. It is a task that must be done.” Oghenesivbe said.