Bauchi State Government has commended the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Associations (NATA) Bauchi State Chapter for organising cleaning and sanitation exercises at the newly constructed Muda Lawal Market, Bauchi.
The commendation was made on Saturday by the Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Housing, Rt. Danlami Ahmed Kawule, when he led the monthly sanitation exercise alongside the new and former Directors General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Mohammed Mahmood Bose and Ibrahim Kabir, as well as the Chairperson of the Bauchi local government council, Hajiya Zainab Baban Takko.
According to the Commissioner, the commitment and efforts shown by the Association in organising the cleaning and sanitation exercise were commendable, and it is one of the initiatives the Bauchi State Government is working on towards attaining sustainable development.
He also said that it is now a challenge for other groups and associations to emulate NATA and pledged to continue supporting the association to have a clean and protected environment.
On his own, the newly appointed Director General of the Agency, Mohammed Mahmud Bose, said that he was overwhelmed by the commitment shown by NATA, especially at the moment that BASEPA is in the process of undergoing a lot of transformation, especially in the conduct of the monthly sanitation exercise.
Mohammed Bose also said that the association has truly demonstrated the initiative the agency is bringing up by collaborating with institutions and organisations in the discharge of its duties and commended them for organising the exercise.
While corroborating the Commissioner, the Director General also called on other associations and groups to emulate NATA, saying that the Agency will support them with working tools and participate in the exercise as a sign of encouragement.
The Director General also called on the people of the state and BASEPA, in particular, to support him in the discharge of his assigned responsibilities and assured the general public that, with their support and encouragement, BASEPA will remain above its sister agencies not only in the state but in the country at large.
In her comment, the Chairperson, Bauchi Local Government Council, Hajiya Zainab Baban Takko, said that the issue of environmental cleanliness is not the responsibility of one person, an organisation, or the government alone.
She stressed that it is a collective effort and commended NATA for the exercise, saying her council is always ready to support this kind of initiative and calling on her colleagues to also encourage and participate in this noble initiative.
Immediate past Director General of the Agency, Dr Ibrahim Kabir, said that the agency is in the process of introducing a new model of the Sanitation Exercise tagged as a community- or organization-based environmental exercise, hoping the new leadership will pilot it during the conduct of the next month’s exercise.
As the agency got new leadership, the former Director General assured the general public that, with the support of the Commissioner and the capacity and expertise of the new Director General, the agency would achieve more than what had been achieved in the last four years.
On the new model of the sanitation exercise, the former Director General said it is not only conducting cleaning exercises; the model will also accommodate tree planting activities to support the afforestation drive of this administration in fighting desertification and the effects of climate change in the state.
As the State Project Coordinator for ACReSAL, the former Director General said he will continue participating in the exercise, adding that both the project and BASEPA are working towards the common goal of ensuring a sustainable environment and development.
The Chairman, Nigerian Automobile Technicians Associations (NATA) Bauchi State, Engr Salisu Alin Bababa, said they organised the exercise with the view to contribute their quota and also complement the government efforts in the improvement and promotion of public health by ensuring environmental cleanliness and commended BASEPA for supporting them with working tools and modalities in conducting the exercise.
During the conduct of this month’s sanitation exercise, the agency inspected the exercise and also conducted tree planting exercises at a community along the 1000 Housing Estate, near NASFAT Juma’at Mosque, in the metropolis.
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