The Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) has announced the suspension of the state’s mandatory monthly sanitation exercise, which usually holds on the last Saturday of every month.
Chairman of the RIWAMA Board, Samuel Nwanosike, confirmed the development after a meeting with the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
According to Nwanosike, the decision is in line with Governor Fubara’s new waste management agenda, which seeks to introduce more modern and sustainable measures for handling refuse across the state.
While announcing the suspension, the RIWAMA Chairman warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of waste, particularly in drainage channels, which often contributes to flooding in Port Harcourt and other parts of the state. He further revealed that a new central dumpsite will soon be provided to ensure proper disposal and management of waste.
In a related development, the Managing Director of RIWAMA, Ibimina Wokoma, urged residents to take personal responsibility for maintaining a clean and healthy environment. He emphasized that despite the suspension of the sanitation exercise, residents must avoid prohibited practices such as open dumping and littering.
“The suspension of the exercise does not mean Rivers people should abandon their responsibility of keeping their surroundings clean. Everyone must play their part to make the state healthier and safer,” Wokoma stated.
The sanitation exercise, introduced years ago to promote environmental cleanliness, often required residents to remain indoors for hours while waste evacuation was carried out. Its suspension signals the beginning of what officials say will be a reformed waste management system under Governor Fubara’s administration.
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