By Abbas Nazil
Taraba State University (TSU) and residents of Jalingo have joined the global observance of World Cleanup Day with a coordinated environmental sanitation exercise aimed at promoting cleaner surroundings, improving public health and encouraging sustained environmental responsibility across the state.
The exercise, held on Monday, September 21, 2026, brought together hundreds of students, university officials, researchers, environmentalists, government representatives and community leaders who participated in cleanup activities across the university campus and designated locations within Jalingo.
The initiative was organised by the Initiative for Climate Change and Renewable Energy Advocacy (ICCREA) in partnership with Taraba State University, Let’s Do It Nigeria and the Taraba State Government.
Activities commenced at about 8:00 a.m. and ended at 11:00 a.m., with participants clearing litter and promoting proper waste disposal as part of efforts to create cleaner and healthier spaces.
Executive Director of ICCREA, Folorunsho Dayo Oluwafemi, said the initiative was part of wider efforts to strengthen climate resilience and increase public awareness of environmental protection in Taraba State.
Oluwafemi said the exercise was intended to demonstrate that individual contributions could produce a significant collective impact when communities work together to protect their environment.
He urged policymakers and government authorities to institutionalise World Cleanup Day as a sustained annual environmental programme, stressing that stronger institutional support would increase public understanding of the relationship between environmental sanitation, health and climate resilience.
Representing the Vice Chancellor of Taraba State University, the Registrar, Dr Joseph Bibinu Umar, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to maintaining a clean environment and supporting sanitation initiatives.
Umar noted that Governor Agbu Kefas had prioritised sanitation across the state’s 16 local government areas, with dedicated sanitation teams operating in municipal areas.
He told students that maintaining clean surroundings was essential to reducing the spread of communicable diseases and supporting healthy academic environments.
Umar also cautioned against indiscriminate disposal of plastic sachets, water bottles and paper waste, warning that poor environmental practices could have wider consequences for food security and agricultural productivity.
The Senior Special Assistant on Sports Development, Honourable Bonwiliya Emanuel, described environmental sanitation as a public health necessity, noting that poor sanitation could contribute to disease outbreaks and place additional pressure on healthcare facilities.
Emanuel said Taraba’s participation in the global cleanup exercise demonstrated the importance of collaboration between government, academic institutions, civil society organisations and communities in addressing environmental challenges.
Students who participated in the exercise also described the initiative as an opportunity to take personal responsibility for the condition of their surroundings.
Dauda Sunday, a 300-level Environmental Science student, said the university environment was noticeably cleaner after the exercise and stressed the connection between environmental cleanliness and human health.
Hauwa Mustafa, a 200-level Environmental Health student, said environmental sanitation should not be regarded as the responsibility of environmental health students alone.
She called on individuals to take responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean, noting that personal actions contribute to the overall health of the community.
The World Cleanup Day activities at Taraba State University and across Jalingo brought together government, academia, civil society and community participants around a common environmental objective.
The organisers and participants, however, stressed the need for the campaign to extend beyond the cleanup exercise through continuous public education, improved waste management, responsible waste disposal and effective enforcement of environmental regulations.
The initiative forms part of the global World Cleanup Day campaign, which mobilises individuals and organisations to take action against litter and environmental pollution while promoting long-term environmental responsibility.
