10 June 2024
His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Otu
Governor of Cross River State
Governor’s Office, Calabar,
Cross River State, Nigeria
Your Excellency,
Request to Reconsider the
Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise in Cross River State
I hope this letter finds you in
good health and high spirits. I am writing to you as a concerned citizen and
representative of the Cross River Movement, an organization dedicated to
improving the quality of governance and promoting sustainable development in
our beloved state.
First and foremost, I would like
to commend your administration for its ongoing efforts to enhance the welfare
and prosperity of Cross River State. Your leadership and commitment to the
betterment of our state are deeply appreciated.
However, I would like to draw
your attention to the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, which
restricts the movement of people between the hours of 7 am and 10 am every last
Saturday of the month. This practice, whose origins trace back to the era of military
dictatorship, was perhaps necessary at the time, but its implementation in our
current democratic setting and free market economy warrants reconsideration.
The impact of this exercise on
the local economy and businesses is significant. Restricting movement during
these hours not only disrupts daily commerce but also affects the livelihoods
of many small business owners and workers who depend on these early hours for
their income. Additionally, this restriction poses considerable inconvenience
to people traveling in and out of Cross River State, as well as those
organizing important events such as funerals and weddings. The logistical
challenges and disruptions caused by the exercise can lead to additional stress
and financial burdens for families and individuals during these significant
life events.
This topic was prominently
discussed during our civic engagement conversation on June 9th, 2024, which
focused on the environment and sanitation in Cross River State. The discussion
featured a representative of the Ministry of Environment, private stakeholders,
and environmental activists. The consensus among private sector participants
was that the current sanitation exercise, while well-intentioned, is not
achieving its desired goals and is causing more harm than good to the state's
economic and social fabric.
It is worth noting that during
the period when Calabar was celebrated as the "cleanest and greenest"
city in Nigeria, there was no such monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
The state’s former glory was achieved through sustained community engagement,
robust public policies, and effective waste management systems, rather than
restrictive measures.
In light of these considerations,
I kindly plead for your Excellency to reconsider the necessity and
effectiveness of the current environmental sanitation exercise. Instead, I
propose the exploration of alternative, more sustainable strategies to promote
cleanliness and environmental stewardship. These could include:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.
<!--[endif]-->Enhanced Public Awareness Campaigns:
Educating citizens on the importance of maintaining cleanliness and
environmental conservation through community programs and media outreach.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.
<!--[endif]-->Improved Waste Management Systems:
Investing in modern waste collection and recycling infrastructure to manage
waste more efficiently.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.
<!--[endif]-->Community-Led Initiatives: Encouraging
local communities to take ownership of their environment through regular,
voluntary clean-up activities.
I believe that by adopting a more
progressive approach, we can achieve our shared goal of a cleaner and greener
Cross River State without imposing unnecessary restrictions on our citizens and
businesses.
Thank you for your time and
consideration of this important matter. I am confident that under your
visionary leadership, we can find a balanced solution that honours our state’s
heritage while fostering economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Yours sincerely,
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<!--[endif]-->
Iso
Bassey
Executive Director
The Cross River Movement
iso [at] crossrivermove.com
