Benin City, April 24, 2025 — In a move underscoring its commitment to youth and education, the Edo State Government has announced the cancellation of its much-anticipated Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise initially scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025. The announcement, made through a formal statement by Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq., Secretary to the State Government, was released earlier today.
According to the statement, the cancellation is a response to the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which commenced nationwide on April 24. The state government expressed concern over the possible disruption the sanitation exercise could pose to candidates’ mobility and access to examination centers.
Despite the cancellation, residents were encouraged to maintain clean and healthy surroundings. The government reaffirmed its dedication to environmental sustainability and announced that the sanitation program would resume on the last Saturday of May, 2025. The new schedule will see the exercise take place from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. across the state.
The announcement was received positively by parents and students, many of whom had feared the sanitation restrictions would affect timely arrival at exam venues. With thousands of students sitting for the UTME across Edo State, the gesture has been praised as both thoughtful and necessary.
As the state prepares for the exercise’s resumption next month, officials remain hopeful that the temporary adjustment will balance both environmental responsibility and educational access, reinforcing Edo’s commitment to the well-being of its residents.
