Agbor – Despite effort by the Delta State government to check flooding in Ika-South local government area, residents dump their refuse and other wastes in drainage facilities constructed to control water in the area.
Investigations revealed that residents bring out wastes from their houses and dispose them off inside these gutters, and other unauthorize places as against the Waste Disposal Laws of the state management Law No. 4 of 2004 which prohibits the indiscriminate disposal of waste.
The unhealthy development has led to massive flooding in the area which have resulted in deaths and destruction of properties worth millions of naira, as well as giving way to emerging gully sites as observed at Otekile, Alibioba streets and environs.
These erosion gullies also serve as illegal dumpsites for these residents who repeatedly attributes their action to the absence of refuse collection bins and services of the state approved Private Sector Participants (PSPs) in the area.
It was further observed that wastes generated from the area usually find their way to the Orhoghodo River during rainfall, thereby polluting and obstructing the water from flowing it proper channel.
According to a leader in the area, Mr Ikechukwu Ebomah, though the government has on different occasions sensitize the people on dangers of poor waste management, there is need to provide waste bags to residents, waste collection points, and enforce relevant laws to check the degrading environment.
“we are even looking for them to come and carry our wastes so we can pay them. The people are ready to pay. They always announce to people to not throw waste in the gutter, but where will they throw wastes?
“Government should approve private waste collectors, and provide drums (wastes bins) in front of people’s houses and they will be coming regularly to collect them; and not when they put the drums on the ground, it filled up and nobody is coming to evacuate them”, Mr Ebomah said, while speaking with The Nigerian Observer at Agbor
He advised the local government authorities to construct “iron protectors like net” inside drainage facilities to stop refuse around the residence where such wastes was generated, for easy identification of violators.
