As The Clean Campus Team chairman discloses consequences for littering campus environment
By Kazeem Precious, Caleb Ijioma
The Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic Student Union Government (AAPOLYSUG) has called for support in improving the sanitation process in the polytechnic. The SUG President, Afolabi Adedayo, who spoke to UCJAAPOLY explained that this support from students and the management would help make the polytechnic environment clean.
UCJAAPOLY gathered that the Clean Campus Team comprises students from all departments set up by the management in 2021. It was later reintroduced on the 14th of November, 2023. These students will partake in a sanitation exercise on both campuses in the Polytechnic every Tuesday.
Adedayo noted that a positive impact has been recorded since the sanitation exercise was reintroduced, while also emphasizing the need for students to properly dispose of their waste.
“Students are partaking in this sanitation process and there has been some positive impact, the vendors are yielding to the instructions highlighted by the authorities. I am also pleading to students not to litter the environment and dispose waste products properly, some students are also partaking in the sanitation process,” he said.
Responding to inquiries about whether students are being compensated for this task, Adedayo mentioned that the management is currently discussing the rewards for students involved. Additionally, he said that the management is considering hiring individuals to cover the sanitation exercise.
Meanwhile, the Clean Campus Team chairman, Modupeoluwa Okubena who spoke to UCJAAPOLY, said the committee was incorporated in 2021 as a result of the dirty environment and positive impacts have been recorded since inception.
“It was established in 2021 after it was noticed that our Campus was becoming dirty everyday, A Campus Sanitation Committee comprising five members Staff and two Students (the SUG President and the Secretary). Two students each from each department were then incorporated into the committee. Then, it became the Clean Campus Team.
“Since then, the team has been operating. Big and small waste bins were provided for classrooms and strategic points on campus and it became mandatory for all Shop, Stall, and Cab owners to participate in the sanitation exercise between 9 am to 10 am every Tuesday,” he said.
Okubena who noted that cooperation from shop owners and some students has been challenging, disclosed the consequences of littering the campus environment, adding that erring shop owners risk losing their shops.
“It is now a punitive measure for students to pick after littering, shop owners are also made to pay a fine of 10,000 naira or the shop be locked up if they refuse to participate in the Sanitation Exercise. Any member of the Polytechnic (students and staff) found littering the campus will be made to pick around for about 10 minutes,” he said.
He enjoined students to imbibe the habit of cleanliness both at home and on campus while also noting that “Cleanliness is not only next to Godliness but also affects our health and frame of mind. If you live in a clean environment, you will think better.”
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