OSUN ENVIRONMENT COMMISSIONER WARNS AGAINST INDISCRIMINATE BUSH BURNING

Osun State Government has warned residents of the state to shun the habit of indiscriminate bush burning during the dry season which has commenced to avert spreading of strange epidemic caused by rodents.

The State’s Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Sanitarian Idowu Korede gave the warning while speaking with Journalists in his office on Monday.

According to Korede, bush burning was capable of forcing rodents to vacate their natural habitat and cause the outbreak of diseases that could be contracted by human beings.

According to him, some people were in the habit of burning the bush around them indiscriminately as soon as the dry season approaches saying, the state government was not unaware of the practice.

The Commissioner, said that the present administration in the state had stepped up campaign against outbreak of diseases found in some parts of the country while government had also put in place some preventive measures.

He urged the people of the state to imbibe the habit of keeping their surroundings clean besides disposing of their wastes, which could cause some “strange illnesses”.

“We need to clean our environment all the time.

“Let me say this for the benefit of our people at home. As you are all aware, dry season is coming, let us avoid bush burning. We should not engage in it at all because it may escalate and cause outbreak of diseases.

“We need to make our environment clean all the time but that does not mean that we should destroy bushes on account of burning them,’’ the commissioner said.

Korede, however, gave assurance that his ministry will continue to sensitise residents on the issues affecting their health and well being.

Reported by Richard Akintade, Osogbo

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