By Mercy Akuba
The Edo State Waste Management Board has announced plans to confiscate goods from traders operating on pedestrian walkways and prosecute individuals caught dumping refuse on road medians.
Managing Director of the board, Dr. Lucky Enehita-Inegbenehi, said the enforcement action follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to offenders.
He noted that the illegal activities have contributed significantly to environmental degradation, traffic congestion, flooding, and public health risks across the state.
Citing provisions of the Edo State Sanitation and Pollution.
Management Law, 2025, Enehita-Inegbenehi emphasized that traders, shop owners, market women, residents, and the general public are prohibited from conducting business on roads and walkways or disposing of waste in unauthorized locations.
Defaulters, he warned, will be prosecuted through the State’s Sanitation Mobile Court.
“Public roads, medians, and walkways are not marketplaces or dumping grounds,” he said, urging residents and business operators to adopt proper waste disposal practices by using designated facilities and engaging registered waste managers.
To strengthen waste management efforts, the state government has deployed multiple dumpsites and installed roller bins across Benin City and other areas. Market waste, he added, must be disposed of at designated collection points, while pedestrians are encouraged to make use of available bins.
In a related development, the board has intensified oversight by engaging the Environmental Sanitation Corps (ESC) in a strategic meeting aimed at reinforcing discipline, professionalism, and operational efficiency.
A new two-shift system has also been introduced to improve surveillance, monitor sanitation black spots, and ensure proper maintenance of road medians.
“Our waste is not flowers meant for decorating our medians,”
Enehita-Inegbenehi said, reiterating the government’s zero-tolerance stance on indiscriminate dumping.
The state government called on residents to support ongoing sanitation efforts by embracing responsible waste disposal habits to ensure a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment.