Ebonyi seals 10 houses over poor environment

The Ebonyi State government yesterday sealed 10 residential houses in Abakaliki, the state capital, for alleged poor environmental conditions of the houses. The state Commissioner for Environment, Grants and Donor Agencies, Dr. Richard Nnabu ordered the sealing of the houses. The affected residential buildings are on No. 29 Udensi Street, No.9B Nna Street, No.15A Uga Street, No.14 Nsugbe Street and No. 8 Ibibio Street, No.12 Nwodo Street, No. 33 Egugwu Agbaja Street, No. 2 Ogbonike Street and No. 1 Iwollo Street. He wondered why landlords and occupants of the said houses would not evacuate the filled septic tanks for several months and also allow sewage to be flowing into drainage along streets in the metropolis.

Nnabu said the sealing of the houses was to optimally maintain the sanitary condition of the state so that it would be good for human habitation. He stated that the ministry was acting on a court order granted by the Environmental Sanitation Court for the ministry to seal the premises for their refusal to abate the nuisance caused by their action and refusal to appear before the court after several notices.

He expressed displeasure over the poor sanitation of the buildings, which he said, could pose danger for both the occupants and the entire residents of the state. According to him, the state is determined to control the menace of outbreak of diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, cholera and typhoid, among others, which are usually caused by poor environmental sanitation.