By Danzumi Ishaku
Persons trading on polythene and plastic bags in Taraba state have been urged to seek alternative means of livelihoods as the state government declared a ban on its use in the state.
The state governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, who handed down the order during the launching of the state Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and declaration of the state of emergency on WASH said his government would put in place the use of non-biodegradable materials (paper bags) which accorded to him would take the place of polythene and plastic bags.
The governor who said the desire to keep the “environment safe” spurred him to declare bankruptcy on the use of the aforementioned substance, said modalities would be put in place towards implementing the ban.
The governor who also went further to declare a state of emergency on WASH, said the state would as well tread extra legitimate miles to enact a law establishing the Taraba State Water Agency.
The decisions of the governor to throw traders dealing in the banned products into the unemployed market as noticed by our reporter did not go down well with person trading on the products as they vowed to use every legitimate path to halt the order from seeing the lights of the day.
Some of the marketers who bared their minds on the ban to our correspondent, said rather than fashioning out ways of pushing the people into the unemployed market, the governor should go extra miles to create job opportunities for the teeming unemployed persons scattered in the nooks and crannies of the state.
Earlier the Chief of Party of the USAID E-WASH program, Dennis D. Mwanza said they were in the state to launch the WASH policy applauded the leadership of the governor. “Water and Sanitation sector is unparalleled ” hence “in 2018 you were recognized by the Nigerian Water Supply Association as the Water governor of the year.
The Chief Party who went extra miles to appealed to the governor to be an advisor for “Urban WASH especial among your peers at the governor’s forum ” solicited for timely releases of WASH budget as “requested by the National Actions Plan”
Stressing their determination to “successfully partner ” with the state government, E-WASH, as stated by him, is also lining up a Unity Support Fund of over N1 billionaire naira to complement the state’s efforts.
