Twenty- seven persons have been convicted by a Mobile Court sitting in Awka for violating Environmental Sanitation Laws. Those convicted were fined various sums of money depending on their level of violations.Chibuzo Obidike reports that the mobile Court Initiative by  the Anambra State Ministry of Environment which has enhanced  quick prosecution of those who contravene Environmental  Sanitation Laws and is now compelling residents of the state  to participate actively in the  monthly sanitation exercise as this month’s exercise  recorded close to eighty percent compliance.


In areas monitored  including  Arroma Awka, Amaenyi, Zik Avenue, Ogbo-Olu Road, Court Road, Amawbia and Nibo, residents were seen engaging in the exercise while a team from f the Anambra State Waste Management Authority ASWAMA were on ground to carte  away the waste.  

Addressing defaulters at Arroma, Mrs. Florence Oraedum who is the Senior  Special Assistant to the Anambra State Governor on Environment  said  that the Ministry encouraged  individuals found cleaning up their  surroundings with Dobe Anambra Ocha gifts items  and warned that defaulters will continue to face the Mobile Court and pay fines attached.

Also speaking, Mrs. Ifeoma Onuzulike from the Ministry of Environment said that the whole idea is to encourage people to  imbibe the culture  of caring for the environment as Anambra state is faced with lots of environmental  challenges and  needs  positive campaign that will  protect the environment. 

A trader Mrs. Nwuka Arinze Who pleaded guilty to the charges  promised  to henceforth keep the last Saturday of every month sacred as she never knew that there were  penalties for defaulters and advised others  to learn from her mistakes and stay at home while observing the monthly sanitation exercise.
 The Chief Magistrate Court Awka,   Esther Charles-Chukwu Awka while applauding the Sanitation Board pointed out that in Section Twenty- two   and Twenty- four  of the Sanitation Law of the state  stipulates that between the hours of 7am to 10am on the last Saturday of every month, everyone within Anambra state is to stay at home and conduct sanitation exercise and if found contravening the law, there are stipulated fines attached  according to one’s category of offence based on the law.