As Rivers State joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2019 World Cleanup Day, the Sole Administrator of the State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Bro. Felix Obuah, says the business of keeping the state clean remains a collective responsibility.

Bro. Obuah in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, urged the people and residents in the state to use the occasion of this year’s event to consolidate on the gains of the Agency in ensuring a healthy Rivers State by keeping their surroundings clean all the time and living a filth-free life.

The RIWAMA boss said in the statement issued this morning in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that it would be appropriate for all residents and people doing business in the state to participate in the exercise which has been described as the largest civil-led effort against garbage.

He said the time is ripe for positive action to keep the surroundings clean, adding that the current efforts by Governor Nyesom Wike to restore the Garden City status of Port Harcourt must be complemented through safe cleaning habit by all and sundry.

“For us to appreciate this global movement against garbage, all hands must be on deck to ensure that all the nooks and crannies of the state are kept clean.

“We would achieve this through conscious efforts to clean our indoors, outdoors and the entire environment. When we do this, we would walk out into nature and truly appreciate the beauty and importance of our God-given environment,” Bro. Obuah said.

The RIWAMA Sole Administrator appealed to residents and people doing business in the state to ensure that the gutters, canals and other water channels are free of debris to allow for free-flow of water.

He further urged them to desist from dumping their refuse indiscriminately, but endeavour to dispose them at approved receptacles, even as he also called on Service Providers to ensure they discharge refuse only at approved dumpsites.