Dokolo North County MP Joseph Jones Ogwal has joined residents of Bata Town Council in Dokolo District in the monthly National Cleaning Day exercise, calling for stronger waste management systems to sustain the gains from community clean-ups.
Ogwal, who participated in the exercise on Saturday, said he had joined residents to lead by example and identify with the people who elected him while contributing to a national cause. He said the exercise should go beyond collecting rubbish and sweeping streets to addressing how waste is sorted, collected, and disposed of.
Ogwal particularly raised concern over plastic waste, saying poorly disposed plastics can affect agricultural soils and create environmental problems. He called for the establishment of waste segregation facilities and greater involvement of private-sector players in waste collection and disposal.
He also discouraged the burning of plastics, saying that although it may appear to offer a quick way of getting rid of waste, it creates additional environmental concerns.
The legislator linked proper waste management to public health, saying reducing poorly disposed waste could help lower the burden of hygiene-related diseases.
Ogwal commended the mayor, local leaders, and schoolchildren for mobilising residents, saying the involvement of young people was important in nurturing a culture of cleanliness, patriotism and responsibility.
He called for sustained participation by elected leaders, schools, local authorities and the media, while suggesting that practical measures should be developed to encourage residents who do not participate in the monthly exercises to join subsequent activities.
The National Cleaning Day is held on the last Saturday of every month between 7am and 10am. The government launched the initiative on July 25, 2026, with the exercise intended to promote environmental cleanliness, proper waste management, and public health.
Bata Town Council LCIII chairperson Shaban Ocen said residents had embraced the initiative and were already on their third consecutive day of cleaning, resulting in a noticeable improvement in sanitation.
Ocen said littering posed risks to public health, the environment, and agricultural production, particularly because plastics take a long time to decompose and can affect soils and crops. He said local leaders from LC1 to LC3 and other levels are working together to improve service delivery but acknowledged that continued community sensitisation is necessary to maintain the momentum.
However, Ocen identified the lack of designated garbage disposal points in the town council as one of the major challenges facing the initiative. He said the council was working on ways to address the problem but also appealed to the government to extend electricity to Bata Town Council.
Aniongo Central Ward Town Agent Tino Rose said the MP’s participation would encourage more residents to take part in future cleaning exercises. She thanked schools for mobilising pupils and said the council would engage owners of both developed and undeveloped plots to ensure their properties are kept clean.
For Auma Ruth, a Primary Seven pupil at Aderolongo Primary School, participating in the exercise was an opportunity to contribute to a cleaner community while learning values that could guide her and other pupils in future. She thanked teachers, parents, and local leaders, including the MP for supporting the pupils’ participation, and said they would continue taking part in community cleaning activities.
The exercise in Bata was the third National Cleaning Day since the programme was launched on July 25. The second was held on August 29. The government has designated the last Saturday of every month for the exercise.