The Osun State Government on Tuesday said it has dragged no fewer than 18 commercial banks operating in the state before the court of law, following their refusal to offset environmental charges.
This disclosure came just as the government read riot act to residents of the state over dumping of refuse on roads, saying it would arrest and prosecute anyone who violated the order.
The General Manager of the state Waste Management Board, Alhaji Ganiyu Oyeladun, who disclosed this, said it had now become an offence for the residents of the state to dump refuse on the road.
Oyeladun who expressed displeasure at the attitude of the first and second generation banks in the state over their failure to offset their debts, explained that the state government instituted charges against the banks to show its determination towards having a safe environment.
This steps, according to the general manager, would make the state roads free of garbage and refuse.
The waste management board boss further warned people living in river banks against dumping refuse in the river to avoid heavy flooding that could lead to disaster.
“They should also desist from doing anything that can block the waterways but, instead, try to do daily and weekly cleaning of their immediate environment,” he said.
Oyeladun, however, disclosed that the agency had made available 61 refuse trucks and divided the state into cluster areas to make refuse disposal easier for the people of the state.
He added that all local government areas of the state had their dumping sites and charged the people to do their best to make the state and the environment regularly clean and hygienic.
On the banks which defaulted in the payment of their environmental developmental charge to the agency, Oyeladun charged them to pay their debts on time to avoid the wrath of the law.
According to him, two the steel rolling companies still indebted to the state would soon be dragged to court, while banks and other financial institutions which fall into this category would also experience the wrath of law.
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