The Nasarawa State government on Saturday re-launched the monthly environmental sanitation and promised to reward the cleanest local government area.

During the launch in Akwanga, Governor Abdullahi Sule advised the people to always keep their environments clean to be healthy.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Emmanuel Akabe, advised the people to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse to make the environment clean.

“In our determination to keep the environment clean at all times, we have decided to re-introduce the monthly sanitation.

“It is in view of this that the government wants to call on everybody to reciprocate the state government’s gesture by protecting and keeping their environment clean.

“This is because a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. We must comply with the state government’s directive on monthly sanitation for healthy living,” he said.

The governor promised to reward the cleanest local government area at the end of every month.

He also urged traditional and religious leaders as well as other stakeholders not to relent in their efforts toward educating their subjects on the need to keep their environments clean.

Mr Sule directed chairpersons of all local government and development area authorities to ensure strict compliance with instructions on the exercise.

The governor restated his commitment to execute good policies and programmes that would affect the lives of the people positively.

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The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals, Usman Abu, urged the people to change their attitudes to environmental cleanliness.

“We commend the governor for the return of the monthly sanitation as it will go a long way in keeping our environment clean,” he said.

The Executive Chairman, Akwanga Local Government, Samuel Meshi, also commended the governor for re-introducing the exercise.

Mr Meshi said the programme would go a long way in improving the health and standard of living of the people.

He promised that people in the area would continue to support government policies and programmes to enable them to succeed.

(NAN)