By Terna Chikpa
The Taraba State Government, through the Environmental and Sanitation Agency, has commenced the fumigation of street flowers to prevent straying animals from destroying them.
Our correspondent reports that the agency had earlier urged livestock owners to ranch their animals to prevent them from obstructing traffic and roaming freely on metropolitan streets.
The agency had also threatened to arrest and prosecute livestock owners who allow their animals to roam freely within the state’s metropolis.
The Chairman of the agency, Hon. Iliya Kefas, disclosed this on Saturday after the monthly sanitation exercise in Jalingo, saying the agency had secured approval from the state government to fumigate all street flowers as part of efforts to achieve its Green Taraba vision.
Kefas lamented that straying animals were destroying street flowers planted by the agency to beautify major towns across the state, particularly Jalingo, the state capital.
He also said the activities of the animals were contributing to sanitation and traffic violations within the metropolis, urging livestock owners to restrict their animals’ movements to avoid exposing them to the chemicals being applied to the flowers.
He warned that the chemicals were toxic and could be harmful to animals if consumed.
“Apart from creating environmental disorder and traffic obstruction, which could result in an unhygienic state capital and other related problems that could endanger residents’ lives, the straying animals are destroying the street flowers meant to beautify the state metropolis.
“We are currently fumigating the flowers against these roaming animals to enable us to succeed in our quest for a Green Taraba.
“The state government has given us approval to fumigate the plants. We urge owners of the animals to ranch them and restrict their movements to avoid being affected. The chemical is harmful, and when consumed, the animals could die,” the agency chairman stated.
Meanwhile, corps members who participated in the sanitation exercise told journalists that they joined the monthly exercise to contribute their quota to the state government’s efforts to ensure a clean environment, particularly within the state capital.
The Corps Liaison Officer for Jalingo Local Government Area, Master Victor Adejo, from Sokoto State, and Miss Juggling Anthony, President of Gender and Charity Vanguard, from Kaduna State, expressed gratitude to the agency for the opportunity to support efforts to maintain a healthy and hygienic environment in Jalingo.
The corps members urged residents to cooperate with the agency to ensure the success of its efforts to keep Taraba clean.
