A cross-section of traditional rulers and chairmen of local government areas in Abia has lauded the nationwide environmental cleanup initiated by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The royal fathers included the Chairman of Ubakala Traditional Rulers Council in Umuahia South, Eze Ugwunwa Amadi, Traditional Rulers of the Ohazu Ancient Kingdom in Aba South and Eziama Community in Aba North, Eze Sunday Emejiaka and Eze Udodiri Promise, respectively.

They made the commendation while declaring open the NYSC National Environmental Sanitation in their respective domains on Saturday.

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Amadi said the initiative would help to bring the scheme closer to the communities, hence making it more relevant to society.

He further expressed optimism that the exercise, which started with the sensitisation of the people, would help to change the attitude of the community dwellers to their environment.

According to Amadi, the exercise will support the efforts of the government at all levels to check the spread of diseases prevalent in poor sanitary environments.

“I want to thank the NYSC for this wonderful initiative. It will help to promote a clean environment and check the outbreak of epidemics in our rural communities,” he said.

Emejiaka promised to always collaborate with NYSC in mobilising their subjects, especially the youths, toward ensuring the success of the exercise.

He urged the NYSC authorities to ensure the sustainability of the exercise because of its immeasurable health benefits to the people and environment.

Also, the Chairman of Umuahia North, Chief Ugochukwu Njinkeonye, while launching the exercise in the area, urged the corps members to carry out the exercise with a high sense of responsibility.

Njinkeonye described the exercise as another laudable perspective to the scheme, capable of fostering greater bonding between NYSC, corp members and their host communities.

He also said the exercise had the prospects of enhancing the aesthetic value of the area and state in general.

The Chairman, Umuahia North, Mr Chukwudi Benson, represented by Chief Uwaoma Nzenwa, also spoke glowingly about the exercise at its launch in the area.

Benson promised that the council would continue to provide the enabling environment for the success of all NYSC programmes in the area.

The General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, Chief Eze Okwulehie, described the exercise as a welcome development.

Okwulehie called for measures to restore the country’s ecosystem through deliberate tree planting, control of bush burning and other acts inimical to the environment.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Iheanyi Ubani, said the ministry would give the necessary support for the exercise to succeed in Abia.

Ubani, represented by a Deputy Director in the ministry, Mrs Obi Ihuaku, also promised that the ministry would assist the scheme with the working tools needed to make the job easier.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of the exercise, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Denis Jingi, said the exercise recorded huge success in all parts of the state.

Jingi, who supervised the exercise in Umuahia North and South, thanked the council chairmen, traditional rulers, community and religious leaders for mobilising their people for the exercise.

He said they experienced a minor challenge in one Umuahia south community, where a native stopped them from opening up a drain to check to flood.

He said the drain was deliberately blocked to provide an access road into a compound in the area.

Jingi said the community leaders had been contacted to wade into the matter.

Addressing the communities on behalf of the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, Jingi said the exercise was initiated to promote a healthy environment in the country.

He said that most of the diseases diagnosed and treated during a recent NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers “can be avoided through a hygienic environment”.

Jingi said the ailments had a direct relationship with poor sanitation and hygiene practices, hence the NYSC boss initiated the exercise.

He listed the common diseases as chronic diarrhoea, dental caries (tooth decay), head and body lice, ringworm, dysentery, typhoid, polio, scabies, trachoma, Hepatitis A, and malaria, among others.

He said the NYSC boss required the full participation of every community in the country to realise the theme of the exercise, “Clean Environment and Good Hygiene: Panacea for Good Health and Long Life”.

A corp member serving in Umuahia North, Mr Samuel Oluwaseun, described the exercise as “a prove that NYSC is indeed actively committed to making Nigeria better by harnessing the potential of the youths.”

Oluwaseun, who spoke to NAN on behalf of his colleagues, said, “I sincerely appreciate NYSC for this opportunity to contribute to the development of our great nation.”

Abia council chairmen, traditional rulers hail NYSC’s cleanup exercise

(NAN)