By Obike Uko.
(c) Ships & Ports.
The unhealthy environmental situation in Aba, especially indiscriminate disposal of refuse when Gov. Alex Otti took over was pathetic and worrisome. Indeed, over the years, Aba has become notorious for dirtiness, with refuse heaps dotting major roads of the Abia commercial hub.
Efforts of past administrations could not yield any positive results, as the problem persists. As a cancerous problem known by all stakeholders, Gov. Alex Otti in his inaugural speech declared a state of emergency on refuse disposal in Umuahia the state capital, Aba and other cities.
To give teeth to his desire, Otti appointed Mr Ogbonna Okereke as the head of the task force to implement the refuse disposal emergency and even participated in the flag-off of the exercise in both Aba and Umuahia,
Otti said inter alia, via his Twitter handle, after the flag-off: “Today, I supervised the clean up exercise for Aba and Umuahia, which commenced yesterday.
“I wish to thank all those working pro-bono to ensure that our towns are clean, and all who braved the rain to give effect to the directive we gave two days ago.”
As a practical step to solving the problem, the state government has engaged the services of a firm to produce public refuse collection buckets, otherwise known as receptacles, to be deployed at strategic places in Aba and Umuahia in particular.
In an interview Mr Onuoha Okorie , Chief Executive Officer, of the contracting firm, handling the production of an initial 100 units of the receptacles, said the project is targeted at arresting the perennial problem of indiscriminate refuse dumps associated with most of the cities in the state.
According to Okorie, the receptacles which will be of very high quality and durable, when deployed and operational, will go a long way in improving the sanitary condition of major cities in the state.
“For now, government has placed order for the production of initial 100 units of the receptacles, which we believe can significantly tackle the problem.
“But as time goes on, we will be targeting more to cover every part of the state. About 70 of the receptacles may be deployed to Aba and about 30 to Umuahia.
“ We are not joking with this project, because we are aware that government is serious about the issue of poor refuse disposal in the state, “ Okorie stated.
He called for the cultivation of a good maintenance culture as one of the most veritable means of ensuring the success of the policy.
“Although, what we are producing are of high quality, but we are also calling for good maintenance culture. It is more cost effective to maintain the buckets than produce new ones,” Okorie stressed.
He blamed the failure of past efforts at tackling poor sanitary conditions in our cities on lack of political will, adding that there is a serious commitment on the part of the present regime to end the ugly narrative.
Mr Ogbonna Okereke, who emerged as the new General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), reiterated that mountainous refuse heaps will never dot Aba roads again.
He said that Gov. Alex Otti’s government is committed to do things differently to ensure that Abia is placed on the path of progress, including giving Aba a new sanitary look.
The new ASEPA GM said he was ready to change and correct the waste disposal attitude of Aba residents in order to keep the city in proper sanitary state.
He said that with the government’s mandate, his agency would also work in other Abia cities to ensure the state sustains a culture of cleanliness as God’s Own State.
Okereke also restated that the state had begun production of over 100 units of waste disposal buckets to be placed strategically in Aba and Umuahia, the capital, to ease waste collection.
Okereke said Otti’s government would involve private investors in waste management in Abia to ensure cleaner cities.
He said that the engagement of private investors in the sector would help improve sanitation in the state.
“The present efforts to rid our cities of indiscriminate waste disposal culture will be pursued with vigour, commitment and sincerity of purpose,” Okereke promised.
On its part, a civil society organization, Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD), commended Otti for declaring state of emergency on refuse disposal in the state, especially Aba, the state’s commercial hub.
Obinna Nwagbara, Executive Director, YSAD, also stressed the need to enlighten Aba residents on the dangers of poor refuse disposal.
“With poor refuse disposal, Aba gutters are clogged up, resulting in thickened sludge breeding mosquitoes and other vectors,’’ he noted.
According to him, since Abia, as a state, has no formidable recycle culture, these wastes constitute health hazards to the public, also some of the wastes are non-biodegradable and pollution agent, and after long years of decomposition mar the environment.
Nwagbara urged Otti to create a road map for a new environmental regime, stressing that the environment must form major plank of the agenda and policy of the government.
He said that “Though the past administrations may have done their bit and best, the need to spotlight Aba environment is compelling.’’
Two environmental health experts Messrs Kalu Ejere and Uchenna Obigwe, who appraised the efforts made so far by the Abia State Government stressed the need for policy consistency and adequate funding.
Ejere on his part, stressed that refuse disposal is capital and financially intensive. He said that there should not be any break in financing, adding that evacuation of refuse will automatically stop without financial flow.
He said that since people cannot be stopped from disposing refuse at designated spots, non- evacuation for days will result to refuse heaps.
Ejere said that during the Gov. Sam Mbakwe administration in the old Imo State, refuse disposal was not a problem, as there was adequate and prompt release of funds for refuse evacuation from receptacles.
He also stressed the need for government to deploy adequate vehicles as well as engage adequate personnel for refuse evacuation.
On his part, Obigwe, said that the Abia State Government has taken the bull by the horn by advertising for contractors to handle refuse evacuation in the state.
“ People have submitted their bids, the result is being awaited. The bid was widely advertised, the government is looking for people with competence and capacity.
“ It is not a party affair and this is the first time this is happening in Abia,’’ Obigwe, a retired Director of Environmental Health Services, Abia State Ministry of Health, stressed.
Obigwe, a former Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abia State Chapter, said with this development, refuse disposal in Abia will no longer be all comers affairs.
He is optimistic that with professionals handling refuse evacuation in Aba and other towns in Abia, the problem of refuse disposal in the state will be a thing of the past.
Obigwe also said that throwing the bid open, is a clear indication, that Otti will definite triumph, where others failed.
Indeed, it is the wish of all lovers of Aba, the Enyimba City, one the commercial epicentres of the South-East, that never again will the major roads of Aba be haven to mountainous refuse heaps.
