As Delta State marked its monthly environmental sanitation exercise on Saturday, October 25, 2025, observations across Warri Local Government of Delta State, and its environs revealed low compliance among residents despite the governments restrictions on movement and business activities.
A walk around major areas of the city by newsmen showed that only a few individuals were actively participating in the cleaning of their surroundings. Although most shops remained closed and vehicular movement was restricted in line with the sanitation policy, many residents were seen trekking along the roads.
At the popular Okere Market, normal trading activities continued as vegetable sellers and buyers went about their usual morning transactions, disregarding the exercise.
In contrast, the usually busy Estate to Avenue route appeared unusually calm, with a few commuters struggling to board the limited number of tricycles (Keke) operating during the period.
Police patrol teams were sighted across several parts of Warri enforcing compliance, as some residents were seen huddling in groups to avoid arrest. Along the Airport Road axis, newsmen also observed tricycle operators allegedly offering money to security personnel in order to gain passage.
The environmental sanitation exercise, which holds on the last Saturday of every month, is aimed at promoting cleanliness and public health across the state. However, the level of participation observed in this edition suggests that more sensitization and enforcement may be needed to ensure better compliance in subsequent exercises.
