The Oyo State Ministry of Environment, through its Task Force led by Environmental Health Officers, has sealed Calabar Kitchen, a popular eatery located along Iwo Road, Ibadan, over illegal dumping of refuse on a road median.The enforcement action followed an operation during which a staff of the eatery was apprehended while attempting to dump a heavy sack filled with waste generated from the kitchen onto the median. Investigations revealed that the staff acted on the instruction of the owner of the eatery. The offender was immediately arrested during the operation.
Addressing journalists in Ibadan, Mrs. Areo, a Director in the Ministry of Environment, reiterated that the operation was carried out in line with the provisions of the Oyo State environmental laws, which strictly prohibit indiscriminate dumping of refuse on road medians, public spaces, gutters, and highways. She disclosed that the eatery was charged for failure to register with an approved refuse collector and illegal dumping of refuse, both of which constitute environmental offences under the Environmental Sanitation and Waste Management Regulations of Oyo State.
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According to the law, offenders are liable to sanctions including sealing of premises, fines, and prosecution. She emphasized that business owners are fully responsible for the actions of their employees and that denial does not exempt them from liability.
The Oyo State Ministry of Environment uses this opportunity to appeal to residents, business owners, and operators of eateries across the state to comply with approved waste management procedures by registering with licensed refuse collectors and disposing of waste only at designated points. Environmental cleanliness is a collective responsibility, and the Ministry remains committed to enforcing the law without fear or favour. A clean, safe, and healthy Oyo State can only be achieved when all citizens respect environmental regulations and protect public spaces for the common good.
