WRITTEN BY HON. TIMOTHY IFEDIORANMA
Christmas and New Year are currently being celebrated with excitement and happiness by Christmas and non Christians all over the world. While a few persons truly appreciate the spiritual meaning of Christmas and the significance of New Year, many others are merely tickled by the socio-economic influences of the festivities.  However, the spiritual, cultural and socio-economic implications of the Yuletide and New Year are generally pleasant and refreshing.
The season is more often than not accompanied by certain extreme behavior by some people, especially in our clime. One of the unpleasant extremities associated with this period of the Year is the act of irresponsible burning of disused tyres by the so-called celebrants on our tarred roads. Despite clarion calls by governments and well meaning persons and organizations every year on perpetrators to desist from the uncivilized and dastardly act, the perpetrators always end up consummating their nefarious activities.
That notwithstanding, government and well meaning persons and groups should not relent in their clarion call and enlightenment of the people on the negative or grievous implications of tyre burning on our tarred roads. When tyres are burnt on tarred roads, the heat and fire which emanate from them usually damage or melt the bitumen or coal-tar used for the construction of the roads.  Pot-holes always begin and expand from the spots where tyres are burnt.
This subsequently leads to deplorable condition of such roads.  It also exacerbates the erosion menace in our roads. Decrepit roads equally contribute to fatal accidents on our roads as well as cause severe damage to vehicles. The act of tyre burning on our roads is indeed very unpatriotic. This is more so, today that the present Anambra state government has invested and is still pumping billions of naira into massive road construction and rehabilitation in the state. With the many kilometers of road network already constructed in every nook and cranny of the state, the Obiano administration has undoubtedly demonstrated its genuine responsiveness to the yearnings and aspirations of Ndi Anambra.
It is not enough for the citizenry to criticize governments when they fail to respond positively to their desires and needs.  The onus is equally on the governed to live up to their civic responsibilities to the society and governments.  This is apparently why the present Anambra state government has, for the umpteenth period, told the citizenry to always take ownership of social amenities in their domains.
Thus, Ndi Anambra should, like patriotic citizens in other parts of the world, regard public utilities as their personal property and ensure that they are protected from vandals and thieves.
Local government chairmen, all political office holders, traditional rulers, youth groups, town union executives and the church, should mobilize the various vigilante groups in their communities to guard against destruction of public property in their domains.  They should specifically nip in the bud the irresponsible inclination of some miscreants and ignorant persons to usher in the New Year with tyre burning on our tarred roads.  If anybody or group is bent on doing this, they are free to burn tyres on spots where they would not either constitute nuisance to other people or destroy public and private property.
Another irresponsible attitude being displayed by ignorant people is the rampant throwing of fireworks and knockouts, even in Churches when prayers are on-going. These shameful acts should not be allowed to continue, Christians should, please, not desecrate the House of God in the name of bidding farewell fare well to 2018.
Indeed, no effort should be spared to ensure that this year’s New Year event in our beloved Anambra state is once again celebrated with fanfare, without destruction of lives and property through burning of tyres on the roads and indiscriminate throwing of knockouts and fireworks.

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