The Nasarawa State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment through its monthly sanitation exercise, emphasizing the initiative’s significance for public health and safety.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Barrister Isaac Danladi, made this known during the March 2025 sanitation exercise in Lafia, the state capital.
Danladi, who actively participated in the exercise, reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to the *Greening Up Nasarawa State* initiative.
His inspection tour commenced from the Ministry of Environment and covered key locations, including Yahaya Sabo Motor Park, the College of Agriculture, Kwadere, the Abattoir, and Angwa Sarkin Pada.
Despite the importance of the sanitation exercise, compliance was observed to be low, largely due to preparations for the forthcoming Sallah celebrations. Expressing his displeasure, Danladi urged residents to adopt a more responsible approach toward environmental cleanliness.
“Everyone must become environmentalists to help make Nasarawa State a zero-waste community,” he stated.
During a supervisory visit to the Lafia Abattoir, accompanied by a team from AfriEarth Foundation, the commissioner decried the poor state of hygiene at the facility, particularly the indiscriminate disposal of animal blood due to the absence of proper drainage.
Meanwhile, some areas such as Angwa Sarkin Pada showed commendable compliance with the sanitation exercise.
Danladi further advised residents to embrace environmental cleanliness beyond the monthly exercise, making it a part of their daily lives. He commended the participation of NGOs, particularly the AfriHealth Foundation, for their active involvement in the initiative.
In light of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMet) forecast of potential heavy rainfall, the commissioner appealed to residents to clear their culverts to prevent flooding.
In a related development, the AfriHealth Foundation presented an award to Barrister Danladi in recognition of his commitment to environmental sanitation in Nasarawa State.
Presenting the award in his office, Founder / Project Director of the foundation, Ambassador Lawrence Mayaki-Akinpelu, commended the commissioner’s efforts under the Greening Up Nasarawa State initiative.
In response, Danladi expressed gratitude for the recognition and pledged to intensify efforts towards ensuring a cleaner and more habitable Nasarawa State.
By Dare Akogun
