Kano State Government says it has begun planting of two million tree seedlings to control flood and desert encroachment in the state.

Dr Kabiru Getso, the state’s Commissioner for Environment, made the disclosure while inspecting the monthly sanitation exercise on Saturday in Kano.

Getso said the seedlings would be planted in reserves, parks, public places, and other strategic locations to control flooding and enhance afforestation.

He said the state government would also construct about 40 drains and rehabilitate dilapidated ones in Kano metropolis and major towns, as part of flood control measures to protect the environment.

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The commissioner noted that the exercise was imperative to control flooding sequel to the prediction of flood in 20 Local Government Areas of the state by the Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMet).

“The state government is planting two million tree seedlings, constructing and rehabilitating 40 drains. Desalting and waste clearance exercises were conducted to clear blocked waterways in the communities.

“The government has not been idle in ensuring that the environment is clean, tidy, and safe for human habitation.

“Members of the community should join hands with the government to sanitise the environment; everybody is a stakeholder and should contribute to making the environment clean and safe,” he said.

Commenting on the sanitation, Getso expressed joy over the resumption of the exercise which had been suspended in the past four months due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He said the ministry had done waste clearance and decontamination in markets, industries, parks, streets, places of worship, and public places to stem further spread of the pandemic.

According to him, 20 defaulters were tried and fined by the Environmental Sanitation Mobile Court for flouting the rules on the exercise.

“The ministry also distributed environmental sanitation kits to about 40 Community Base Oraganisations (CBOs), to encourage drain and waste clearance exercise in the society,” he said

The commissioner added that such exercises were imperative to control flood, malaria, and protect the environment.

Get urged the people to desist from indiscriminate dumping of waste on waterways and keep a clean environment for sustainable development of the state.

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He also called on sugarcane vendors to use waste bins for the collection of the by-products and ensure proper packaging of the products to protect public health.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Aminu, Chairman, Community Central Working Committee on Sanitation Exercise, lauded the state government for distributing sanitation kits to community associations in the state.

Aminu said the gesture had encouraged drain and waste clearance and enhanced environmental cleanliness in the communities.

The commissioner inspected the exercise at Obasanjo, IBB, and Emir Palace Roads as well as Kofar Wambai, Kofar Mazugal, Kabuga, Abattoir, and Sugar cane market, among others.

Vanguard