Some residents of Bwari Area Council in Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
have called for sanctions against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in township areas of the district.
The residents made the call in separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
The call followed the resurgence of indiscriminate dumping of refuse by residents of the area council on major roads.
Mr Ayuba Auta, a resident of Dutse-Baupuma, while calling on the council authorities to salvage the situation, also urged
residents to desist from dumping waste along major roads.
Auta gave the advise as he decried the heap of waste dumped opposite the Usuma Dam junction of the district.
He said it was illogical for people to dump waste along the roads and expect government to evacuate same, when it should not be there in the first place.
“How can we, as human beings behave the way we do and expect others to behave better. In the first place, why must we dump these things there?,
it is a major road and people just drive by and drop waste,” Auta said.
Another resident of Dutse-Baupuma, Goggo, who looked at the heap of refuse with disgust, said “obviously, people bring these waste in their cars
and just drop them. There are no houses around the area, so where are those dumping the waste coming from if not from vehicles.?
Goggo said those who dump refuse at the Usuma Dam junction had automatically created a dump site where there was none in the first place.
She said “this is unreasonable. However, I am pleading with the area council waste management authority to please, clear the dump site
quickly to avoid an epidermic.”
Mrs Patience Adeleke, a resident of Chicakwere road junction, along Arab road in Kubwa, FCT, also described the waste lying in the
drainage system and over board as an eyesore.
According to her, most times, people who use the road to the train station are guilty of the illicit act of dumping waste into the drains.
She said “if only the Area Council authority can swiftly move into action and possibly collaborate with the traditional heads in the area to
sanction the culprits, maybe people will begin to reason.
“For now, we plead with the authorities to organise an awareness campaign against indiscriminate dumping of waste, especially now that
the rains are here, because if the habit continues, the drains will be blocked by these polythene bags.
“Communities can also organise periodic clean up, but it will take the collaborative efforts of the authorities in place and residents to ensure compliance.”
Mr Joseph Uba, who resides in Kogo area of Bwari town, observed that as soon as illegal dump sites were evacuated, residents
create more.
He said “we have leaders in all these communities, it is not only during politics the people need to hear their voices, it is in times like this.
“If we have to dump refuse, why not go into the bush and into the pits created at some points and stop dumping on roadsides. We
are not doing this to government, but ourselves.”
Responding, the Head of Environment in the Council, Mr Timothy Nwanna, told NAN that the council was working to ensure that indiscriminate
dumping of waste and long time dump sites in the council and its environs were tackled holistically.
According to him, the council is working with some licensed waste control contractors, who will periodically visit individual houses to evacuate refuse
in their trucks at meagre amount to dispose at the council’s major dump sites.
Nwanna also said that the council was working in collaboration with the FCT Satellite Town Development Agency (STDA) to ensure total
evacuation of waste in the area.
He added that now that the newly elected chairman of the council had been inaugurated, the issue of the environment would be prioritised before
the new administration as a matter of urgency to hasten the already existing process.
“The council has been collaborating with STDA to bring in contractors that will do the job.
“It is a work in progress, waiting for procurement, I assure you, any moment from now, the waste will
be evacuated and we will also work on sensitisation campaigns,” Nwanna said. (NAN)
