Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has ordered the immediate shutdown of a hotel and a water factory over an attack on officials of the Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO) in the state.
M2 International Guest House and Tapa Pure Water factory are located in the Amakohia and Orji areas of the state.
A statement from the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu, said the Ihedioha gave the order on Monday at a crucial meeting with the 27 Chairmen of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) and ENTRACO officials at the Government House in Owerri, the state capital.
He decried that the current state of sanitation, particularly in Owerri was unacceptable and harped on the need to adopt strategies to improve refuse collection and disposal across the state.
The governor directed his Special Adviser on Sanitation and Environment and General Manager, ENTRACO, Alex Emeziem, as well as his team to immediately ensure that sanitation was improved in the state.
“We must make Imo very clean and healthy. Therefore, I want to see a rapid improvement in our culture of sanitation to rid the state of dirt,” he said.
Governor Ihedioha warned that his administration would not tolerate any form of attack on any government official while on his or her lawful duty.
He asked the people of the state to be law-abiding and cooperate with the government to deliver on its promises.
The governor stressed the need for ENTRACO to be self-funding to carry out its activities, adding that Imo would not be put under further debt burden.
He also advised residents to as a matter of civic obligation comply with the payment of sanitation levy to enable ENTRACO to discharge its mandate effectively.
Governor Ihedioha directed the LGA Chairmen to set up ENTRACO units in their areas as part of measures to ensure effective waste management across the state.
He warned that he would not hesitate to take appropriate actions against any LGA Chairman or ENTRACO official, who fails to keep his or her LGA clean.
