The Edo State Government has called for the support and participation of all residents and other stakeholders to achieve the government’s plan for a cleaner and greener environment in the state.

The state government through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability and the Edo State Waste Management Board intensified ongoing clean-up exercise across the state to rid Edo of dirt and debris, urging residents to get involved and be a part of the project to ensure a cleaner state.

The Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Engr. Jonathan Lawani, who spoke to journalists during the cleanup exercise in some parts of the Benin metropolis, said all hands must be on deck to achieve a healthier environment.

Noting that the government will sustain compliance and enforcement of all environmental laws, the Commissioner said the state is serving abatement notices to violators of extant laws on environmental sanitation.

Engr. Lawani noted that there is the need for residents to clear their surroundings to avoid blocked drains and the menace of erosion.

He advised that as the rain intensifies, residents must clear the grasses in and around their premises, desilt drains regularly and dispose of waste properly.

The Commissioner said officials of the Ministry have commenced the serving of abatement notices to violators who do not comply with healthy environmental practices, adding that if after four days they do not comply, they will be served court summons and be prosecuted according to the extant laws on environment.