REFUSE COLLECTION: RESIDENTS SCORE IKA COUNCIL CHAIRMAN ZERO, SAY ITS EXERCISE IN FUTILITY Since 1999, when the present democratic experiment began, Nigerians at large have been yearning for a change from the status quo towards an improvement in the quality of living. From the very first tier, second tier and to the third tier of governments, agitations for responsible representation and leadership remain unabated among Nigerians. This is because, man by nature desire comfort and happiness which is a direct product of the provision of shelter, food and clothing. The government plays a major role in this regard and in many regards as clean environment, security etc. Many state capitals in Nigeria that were notorious for being dirty are vigorously trying to embrace cleanliness, since a clean people and a decent environment engenders good health. From Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Calabar to Abuja, the concept of having a clean society has been embraced and pursued holistically. It has been observed that whenever our people travel to other parts of the world that are clean, throwing refuse indiscriminately is never part of them as compared to when in Nigeria. Why? Like it has been said, the change is gradually being pursued by those who believe in applying responsible leadership in governance. Leadership by example has been proven to be the best kind. But it takes a lot of zeal and dedication, more so, if the individual leading is a stakeholder in any project. Just as we have the Nigeria project, we in this part of the country have the Delta State project and we are all stakeholders. Will this project succeed or will it fail? For now, the captain of this project which must be sustained is Dr. Emmanuel Oduaghan, the Governor of Delta State who has come up with a three point agenda. The part of the agenda in focus is environmental sanitation. In any community of civilized people, it is part of their inalienable right to have good environment and any government that denies its people this fundamental provision is short changing its people. The present constituted local council committee members by implication have the peoples mandate since they have been assigned responsibilities of the local council areas by a duly constituted government. Since the committees were inaugurated, the representatives in the two Ikas have been working assiduously to endear themselves to the people. Many good projects have been executed to meet the expectations of the people in Ika land. Princess Ijenwa Okunonke of Ika Northeast and Engr. Andrew Obiazi are performing to the admiration of majority of the residents of the local council areas. But a lot need to be done in the area of waste management. The way waste is managed in the two local government areas lives much to be desired because it has not been sustained. The provision of waste bins positioned in strategic location is a laudable thing that would have worked twenty years ago. The introduction of the bins is well intended but it is exercise in futility. Had enough research and study been carried out, a more pragmatic and sustainable solution would have been arrived at to tackle this problem of refuse collection and management. It is indeed an ugly sight wherever the bin is found. Our correspondent visited several places where these bins are kept and to guage the feelings of residents .To our dismay, the residents are unhappy with the way the refuse bins are all maintained by the councils. We visited Owa Model Primary School, Boji Boji Owa, Owanta/Uboh Street, Old Abraka Road near St. Agnes Nursary/Primary School, Onyibe/ Abraka Road junction, Dein/ Orubor and Hill Streets, by Odili Primary School, Agbor including Mariere by Ojeifo, Baleke, Upper Queen Isede Street by Queen Street, Osuhon Street by Queen Street, Okunje Street by Egun lane, Abude Street by Egun lane and Ojeifo Street by Ihioma Primary School. The situation is the same with bad odour, mosquitoes, coachroches, rodents all over. The refuse at Ojeifo Street which is opposite Ihioma Primary School has taken over half of the road. We gathered that in the mornings and afternoons when the school children resumes and closes, cars, okadas and pupils jostle for the ownership of the small part of the road since the other part has been taken over by refuse now puring into the drainage. A welder who operates his business close to the refuse point also complained that the odour emanating from the refuse is impacting negatively on his business. The bin at Hill Street shares the same wall with Odili Primary School with pupils breathering bad odour. The headmistress of the school said that each time she removes the bin, residents will put it back very close to the school which makes the pupils and teachers uncomfortable. “It is really disheartening, I plead with the government to relocate the bin for the sake of our children “she said. The bin by Mariere / Ojeifo is sandwiched by the PHCN and a church. One of the refuse point on Queen Street is beside Charles Burr Primary School. The teachers and pupils are equally enduring the hazard oozing out of the refuse. Dein /Orubor Street which seems to be the worst, is in a mess with refuse gradually making human and vehicular movements difficult. A resident, Mrs. Ego Kamakao who lives at No 51 Baptist Mission Street, Boji-Boji Owa said: “It is very appalling that before the introduction of the refuse bins, my environment was much better than it is. I am appealing to the government to find a lasting solution to this menace. “She also suggested the introduction of private participation as a panacea to the problem. Another resident of Queen street, Mr. Obi Okoh said: The local government have not done their home work well “ before embarking on the project. The vehicles are only two and the bins are too small. Refuse collection is a daily affair”. In his opinion, the local government have only succeeded in removing refuse from the gutter and dumping them on the streets “With two vehicles covering the whole of Ika South, and one at Ika North east, there is no way they can do much” he said. He further stated that there was a certain day the vehicle came but the workers abandoned the place because of human waste. He suggested private participation which will bring competition like we have GLO, MTN, Zain etc. Government alone cannot cope saying that before now there were some private participation in waste collection and the area was cleaner. Miss Nkanu Bianka said that the idea of puting bins in strategic places breeds filthy environment. She suggested that the vehicles should come regularly on fixed days for collection. “Every body should keep their refuse at home instead of messing up the area “she said. Comrade Micheal Abiamuwe said: “The situation is so bad that we are crying to the government and to those who can put pressure on the local government to please come to our aid. The introduction of the bin is a good innovation but the execution like the execution of almost every project in Nigeria is bad. What we see now is disease. Speaking further, he said, this is Dein Street, it should not be allowed to go into disrepute. We are crying to the council to come and clear this refuse every week. This dump site is generating mosquitoes, and diseases. The bin should either be completely removed or they should intensify the weekly removal of waste. It does not speak well of the local government. Before the introduction of this bins, we used to pay a minimal amount to private refuse collectors. Whenever they come, they ring bell. We never kept refuse outside, we always waited for them to come. During the last environmental sanitation day, we expected the council vehicle, but they never showed up. Now we are helpless and the whole area is smelling”. Another resident who has been selling Okpo Oka in the last seven years, Madam Caroline Osunbor begged the government to wake up to its responsibility or remove the bin. She said that whenever she tells people to put refuse in bags, they always quarrel with her as if the collectors are not humans. “I know government is trying but this time, they have failed completely. They should admit it and right the wrong “she said. She went further to say that she is loosing customers because of the smell oozing out of the refuse saying that even on environmental days, the council does not remove refuse. Every responsive government attends to the cry of its people. The local councils are established to help the people leave a healthy live, but not so now with the way the two Ika councils are going. Majority of the people do not appreciate the refuse bins provided because the purpose for which it is intended has failed. We spoke to Mr. Johnson Okoh, an expert on waste management who advocated a complete departure from the way it is currently done. The good the councils have done by providing the bins will never be appreciated because they are putting a square peg in a round hole. Its either they are deliberately failing or they do not know what they are doing. The councils do not need to reinvent the wheel all they need do is send their representatives to learn the rudiments and intricacies of waste management from states that have successfully managed waste. The two councils can generate income removing the burden off their neck. He went further to explain, “in the area of communication, we used to have only Nitel, but now there are so many other networks you may decide to use. Honestly, the two councils are trying to deliver, but they will need to apply the same zeal to waste management as they have in many other areas”. He suggested that the councils should limit their refuse evacuation only to the markets and public schools and manage dump sites, register private companies that have very sound vehicle and allocate them to particular zones, enforce compliance and enforcement of payment; impose fines on erring defaulters and seal up residents where necessary. The private operators vehicle must be branded with local council seal of authority: All houses registered under this new arrangement must show proof of registration to local councils inspectors; the whole process must be SELF LIQUIDATING he said. Everything must be done to ensure that the councils succeed in carrying out their responsibilities to the good people of Ikaland. Now is the time for experts in waste management who are working in the council to wake up since we are all stakeholders in this IKA PROJECT. Ika Weekly
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 14:48:32 +0000
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