Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Oshakati Town Council plans to fine anyone found littering in public spaces or dumping refuse in the open in an effort to keep the town among the cleanest in the country.
Business premises that are unhygienic, full of clutter, grass and without proper refuse bins, and homeowners who do not own a refuse bin, who have grass in their yards and who throw rash on the streets, plot owners who do not clear or de-bush their plots, and schools and industries that are unhygienic, will also be fined.
This was announced by Oshakati mayor Leonard Hango during the Oshakati annual clean-up campaign held at the town on Friday.
“One of our strategic plans for the next five years is to ensure that Oshakati is listed among the cleanest towns in Namibia. Oshakati Town Council is, however, relying on collaborative efforts from us all as community members of this town to ensure that our town is kept clean. This exercise should begin by cleaning our homes, our yards, streets, workplaces and even our shopping malls. To attain this goal, one of the steps is to implement a fine that will be issued to anyone found littering in public spaces,” said Hango.
He added that deliberating on the matter of issuing fines was not an easy task. However, this was the only way to enforce cleanliness among community members.
“We very well know that it only takes one person to destroy this goal of cleaning and beautifying our town, and that is the person who deliberately throws litter on the ground. This act is highly discouraged and should be reported to the town council’s waste management division,” he said. Hango said the council is still drafting a policy to determine the amount of the fine.
He also urged community members to stop cutting down trees, as trees and plants beautify and add value. He implored all homeowners to at least plant two trees in their yards.
Oshana governor Elia Irimari commended the Oshakati Town Council for making an impact on the cleanliness of the town.
“However, I am greatly disappointed that some home owners at Oshakati, especially those residing in the new suburbs and informal settlements, do not own a refuse bin. How else do you plan to clean your home if you do not have anywhere to store the dirt?” he said.
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