A total of forty people have been prosecuted by the Oyo State Environmental Law Tribunal for indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the state.
It was also gathered that the offenders had no proof of registration with any authorised waste evacuators as required by law in the state.
Some defaulters were also fined for contravening law on restriction of movement during the environmental sanitation hours.
The fines and sentences, according to the state Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, range from N2,500 to N10,000, depending on the gravity of the offence committed.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Environmental Task Force, Francis Ojomo, while addressing journalists on Monday,, said the state government would not relent or compromise its stand in ensuring cleanliness considering the ripple effects of violation of the laws on the ecosystem.
Ojomo urged residents of the state to take responsibility by ensuring regular hygiene in their environment for societal and economic growth.
Ojomo said the need for environmental protection was not only vital to the state, but also to the entire international community especially now that conversations centre around climate change and global warming.
He stressed, “The environmental protection effort is not only vital to the state but also to the world as various international conversations now centre around climate change and global warming.
“Oyo State will do all within its power to contribute to the best global practices in environmental protection. We have shown this with the enforcement being brought alongside advocacy.”
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Bashir Olanrewaju, who expressed displeasure on the indiscriminate dumping of refuse, said heavy sanctions await the violators of environmental laws.
