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Nigeria: Bill On Environmental Management Underway in Bayelsa
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Leadership (Abuja)
8 May 2008
Posted to the web 8 May 2008
George Oraeki
Bayelsa
Bayelsa State government has said it would forward a draft bill on environmental management and protection to the State House of Assembly as part of its efforts to improve sanitary conditions and safeguard the health of the people in the state.
State Information, Culture and Communications Commissioner, Pastor Ebiowei Sokari, disclosed this while briefing newsmen shortly after the 8th session of the State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Pastor Sokari said after thorough assessment, the State Executive Council came to the conclusion that sanitary conditions in the state were a far cry from expectations and currently posed safety hazards to the people.
According to him, the bill would include stipulations that all commercial and residential houses in Yenagoa and its environs must have standard toilet facilities and in addition, all soak-away pits must be covered.
Sokari, who noted that children could drown in uncovered soak-away pits, said the draft bill would also contain sanctions for defaulting landlords.
He said consequently, the council directed the ministry of environment, as well as the State Environmental Sanitation Authority, to initiate moves to ensure that such soak-away pits are covered immediately.
The information and communications commissioner also disclosed that because of the serious health hazards they posed, the refuse dump and sewage disposal sites, along Tombia Road , would be relocated.
According to him, "the dump site has become a health hazard and source of embarrassment to many in view of the fact that the road is now a major high way linking the state capital to the Niger Delta University in Amassoma".
The commissioner said the council has observed that some contractors have abandoned their project sites despite the fact that some of them have received more than 80% mobilisation fee for such projects. He said the Council was particularly displeased by the fact that contractors handling the eight internet centre projects, who have received more than ninety per cent of the contract sums, have also abandoned their project sites.
Pastor Sokar, therefore, urged all defaulting contractors to return to site, pointing out that the state Ministry of Works and Transport have been directed to compile a list of defaulters and hand-over same to the Project Monitoring and Implementation Committee (PMIC) to ensure that such contractors return to site and complete their projects.
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On the current road projects in the state, he said government has expressed concern that some of the contractors handling such projects did not make provisions for drainage and assured that this would be looked into.
Also at the council meeting the Due Process and E-governance Bureau made a special presentation on its achievements, prospects and challenges and it was resolved that the Bureau would be given added impetus in the form of capacity building to enhance its performance.
Sokari further said that in due course, the Bureau would be backed by an enabling law.
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