Ondo State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Tob Loko, led the enforcement monitoring of the July edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Akure metropolis today. Unlike yesterday’s inspection walk, today’s activity focused squarely on enforcement.
Dr. Loko, accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Environment and the Ondo State Waste Management Authority, began the monitoring exercise at Adegbemile. The team moved through major areas including NEPA Roundabout, Odojoka at Old Garage, and Cathedral Roundabout, ensuring compliance with sanitation directives.
Speaking during the exercise, Dr. Loko emphasized the government’s commitment to environmental laws, stating that the enforcement aligns with the directive of the Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“We are here today not just to monitor but to enforce. The Governor has given clear instructions that our environmental laws must be upheld. Prior to today, we carried out massive awareness campaigns across various media platforms to inform residents about the importance of this exercise. Everyone was expected to stay at home and participate,” he said.
Dr. Loko expressed optimism that consistent enforcement over the next few months will drive awareness and improve voluntary compliance.
“We have the laws in place, the challenge has always been enforcement. If we sustain this tempo for two to three months, we won’t need to force compliance. People will come to understand that environmental sanitation is not optional in Ondo State,” he added.
At Odojoka, in the Hausa community, Dr. Loko was joined by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Omoyofunmi Segun, and the Chairman of the Waste Management Authority, Mrs. Yinka Alabi. They engaged with community members, urging them to align with the state government’s environmental policies under the E.A.S.E Agenda of Governor Aiyedatiwa. Residents were also encouraged to maintain peaceful coexistence among all ethnic groups—Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba—and to embrace clean and healthy living.
At the NURTW office in Cathedral, the delegation addressed commercial drivers, stressing the importance of cooperating with environmental regulations. They emphasized that peace and orderliness are prerequisites for meaningful development.
Other key officials who accompanied the Environment Commissioner on the exercise included:
Mr. Omowole Fola – General Manager, Waste Management Authority
Mr. Kinga Olumide – Administrative Secretary
Mr. Oloye Alaba – Director, Compliance, Monitoring & Enforcement
Mrs. Folorunso Aderonke – Director, Climate Change
Mr. Olowoparija Olorunwa – Director, Pollution Control & Sanitation
Mr. Ogunleye Rotimi – Director, Ecology
Mr. Isaac Emmanuel – Director, Environmental Assessment
Mr. Ojifini Funsho – Director, Beautification, Parks & Gardens
Mrs. Akinyomi Oluwakemi – Director, Planning, Research & StatisticsDr. Loko reiterated the Ministry’s resolve to ensure a cleaner, healthier, and more livable Ondo State. “We are committed to restoring Akure and the entire state to its rightful status as one of the cleanest in the federation,” he concluded.
Henry Johnson Olagundoye
(Min. of Environment)
