Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State Governor has urged residents to take responsibility for keeping their homes, streets and communities clean, warning that indiscriminate waste disposal could undermine ongoing infrastructural development across the state.
The governor said his administration’s interventions in road construction, drainage, erosion control and urban renewal were aimed at creating a modern, functional, secure and beautiful Benue State.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Monday, by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, as part of a message welcoming residents to a new workweek.
According to the statement, despite the provision of new drainages, cleared pathways and improved public spaces, some residents had resumed dumping refuse in drainages, on pavements and in front of homes and businesses.
It warned that the practice could devalue government investments and create serious environmental and public health challenges.
The governor noted that blocked drainages could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, contribute to flooding and facilitate the spread of waterborne diseases, while heaps of refuse could attract rodents and other pests.
Alia therefore appealed to residents, landlords, tenants, business owners and community leaders to take responsibility for the cleanliness of areas in front of their homes and businesses.
He urged residents to dispose of waste properly at approved collection points or during official evacuation hours, stressing that refuse must not be dumped in storm drains or on roadsides.
The governor also encouraged communities to organise regular clean-up exercises in their streets and neighbourhoods, assuring that the government would support community-driven sanitation initiatives.
He further urged residents to protect roads and drainages constructed by his administration, describing them as public assets that require collective responsibility.
The statement said while the government would continue to enforce sanitation laws and support waste-management efforts, citizens remained the “first line of defence” in maintaining a clean environment.
“A cleaner Benue is possible. Governor Alia has already led the way. But it starts with you deciding today to stop littering and properly dispose of your waste,” the statement said.
The governor’s administration, it added, was committed not only to developing infrastructure but also to fostering a culture of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility across the state.