Oyo Govt Warns Residents, Waste Collectors Against Environmental Violations

…Aderinto Says Government Will Remove Non-Performing Contractors, Punish Recalcitrant Offenders

The Oyo State Government has warned residents against improper waste disposal, saying failure to urgently address the growing waste-management challenge could lead to a serious environmental crisis.

The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Ademola Aderinto, gave the warning while speaking at an event commemorating the 2026 World Cleanup Day, held at the NEWMAP Conference Room in Ibadan.

Aderinto said the responsibility of keeping the environment clean rests on everyone, stressing that residents must become conscious and intentional about how they dispose of their waste.

He warned that residents who notice others violating environmental regulations should report such violations to the appropriate authorities, noting that being one’s brother’s keeper also involves speaking up when environmental laws are being breached.

The Commissioner said the state government, under Governor Seyi Makinde, has the mandate to protect the lives, property and wellbeing of residents, adding that government would not do what residents are expected to do in their homes.

He urged residents who are duly registered with waste collectors, have appropriately-sized waste bins but are not receiving regular waste collection services, to report the contractors to the ministry, preferably in writing.

Aderinto disclosed that the government has streamlined its waste-management activities through Community Development Councils, with a strategy aimed at ensuring that every household in the state has a sizeable waste bin.

According to him, Community Development Associations will be involved in compelling residents and landlords to comply with the policy, with the ultimate objective of ending indiscriminate dumping of refuse, particularly in waterways.

The Commissioner also warned waste contractors to live up to their responsibilities, saying the government would remove contractors who fail to provide effective waste collection services.

He explained that the government was also working to support waste collectors financially and operationally, stressing that the success of the waste-management system would depend largely on compliance by all stakeholders.

Aderinto said the government’s enforcement drive was not primarily aimed at shutting down houses but at ensuring compliance, adding that residents would be given opportunities to regularise their waste-management arrangements before sanctions are imposed.

He further disclosed that enforcement teams would move with waste collectors to register residents who lack proper arrangements, while those registered would be required to make commitments and pay waste-collection fees in advance.

The Commissioner declared that waste must be collected from the source, warning that transporting waste without authorisation is illegal.

He specifically warned residents against carrying refuse in bags or vehicles, saying anyone found transporting waste illegally could face fines, imprisonment, community service or confiscation of the vehicle used.

Aderinto stressed that the inability of waste trucks to penetrate certain areas would not excuse improper waste disposal, advising residents and waste contractors to make alternative arrangements to ensure that refuse is collected from the point of generation.

He reiterated that every household and location in the state must have a sizeable waste disposal bin and be registered with an authorised waste contractor, with regular payment of applicable waste-management fees.

The Commissioner said the government had also issued a fresh warning to environmental health officers and waste collectors, stressing that any official or contractor who fails to perform their responsibilities would face appropriate action.

He equally warned recalcitrant members of the public that stringent penalties had been introduced for environmental violations and that offenders would be dealt with in accordance with the laws of Oyo State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Aderinto urged residents to take collective responsibility for maintaining a clean environment, stressing that reporting environmental violations is part of being a responsible member of society.