The Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, has directed Environmental Health Officers across the state to intensify sanitation enforcement, environmental monitoring and public health protection.
Ogbonna gave the directive on Thursday during a meeting with Environmental Health Officers in the Aba Zone at Girls Secondary School, Abayi, Aba. He said the meeting was convened to review and evaluate the activities of the Environmental Health Officers, popularly known as Ndi Ole-Ala, since the restoration of their house-to-house environmental health services on June 26, 2025.
The Commissioner commended the officers for their efforts and urged them to strengthen their commitment to effective environmental sanitation enforcement across Abia State.
He said the administration of Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, remained committed to supporting Environmental Health Officers through the regular provision of their monthly imprest to facilitate the effective delivery of their services.
According to him, the restoration of house-to-house environmental health services was designed to strengthen sanitation monitoring and encourage residents to maintain healthy environmental practices.
Ogbonna directed the Environmental Health Officers to urgently inspect abattoirs across Abia State and ensure that butchers stop using vehicle tyres to roast animal skin, popularly known as “kanda.”
He warned that burning animal skin with tyres poses serious public health risks and called for strict enforcement of environmental and health standards at abattoirs.
The Commissioner also directed the officers to enforce the government’s order for sand miners and dredgers operating at Umuigwe and Uratta communities in Osisioma Local Government Area to vacate the areas as Aba Master Plan does not permit such activities in the area.
Ogbonna urged them to intensify public sensitisation on proper sanitation practices and educate residents on the importance of maintaining clean and healthy surroundings. He appealed to residents across Abia State to cooperate with Environmental Health Officers and desist from activities that could undermine the house-to-house environmental health services.
The Commissioner also called for greater collaboration between Environmental Health Officers, government agencies and other stakeholders to achieve the administration’s vision of making Abia State one of the cleanest states in Nigeria.
Earlier, the State President of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Dr. Obieze Odimuko, and the State Treasurer, Mrs. Onyinyechi Nwigwe, highlighted the activities and acheievements of Environmental Health Officers during the period under review.
They disclosed that the officers had visited 1,382 villages and 79,955 premises, served 50,236 abatement notices, recorded 22,143 cases of compliance, and prosecuted 2,559 defaulters, among other interventions, stressing that the figures demonstrated the significant impact of the restoration of their services.
The officials also noted that collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant agencies had contributed significantly to the promotion and enforcement of environmental health services across Abia State.
The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Ikechukwu Chidozie Oriuwa, and Heads of Department of Environmental Health Services from various Local Government Areas in the state.
Obioma Chidinma Success
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Environment
