Plateau seals gas station, prosecutes sanitation offenders

The Plateau State Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA) has sealed a gas station in the Kufang area of Jos South Local Government Area and fined several residents for violating the state’s environmental sanitation laws.

The enforcement action took place on Saturday during the statewide environmental sanitation exercise.

The state government said the operation was part of efforts to strengthen compliance with sanitation regulations across the 17 local government areas, especially following the recent cholera outbreak.

According to PEPSA’s Director of Enforcement, Barnabas Pam, the agency worked with security agencies to arrest offenders who violated the movement restriction between 7 am and 10 am.

“Those arrested were prosecuted and fined, while the gas station in Kufang was sealed for operating during the sanitation exercise.

“The recent cholera outbreak is a reminder of the importance of maintaining a clean environment,” he said.

Pam said the agency would continue its enforcement drive until compliance with sanitation laws became a regular habit among residents.

“We will sustain this momentum until compliance becomes a culture, not just a monthly activity,” he added.

He explained that PEPSA, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies, would continue patrols during sanitation hours to enforce movement restrictions and other environmental regulations.