Ekwulobia—Anambra State Government has flagged off the operation to evacuate heaps of solid waste deposited at Okpoko, a suburb of commercial city of Onitsha. The mountainous heaps of waste had been in existence for over 30 years and had for long posed environmental health hazard to the inhabitants of the community.
The Head, Public Relations/Media, Ministry of Environment, Awka, Emmanuel Ifesinachi, made this known in Awka, the state capital,
saying that the irony of the situation or the dilemma of the people of the area was that the waste dump was located near the Community Hall, Community Health Centre and in-between two primary schools, thus posing health hazards to the environmental health of the people of the area.
The move to remove the heaps of refuse by the government was part of the effort to promote good health and improve the sanitary condition of Onitsha.
Sanitarycondition
Speaking while flagging – off the waste evacuation exercise at the Okpoko, Onitsha – North Local Government Area, the Commissioner for Environment, Chief Evarist Uba explained that the pathetic circumstances the community found itself gave rise to the decision by the state government to direct that the waste dump should be dismantled and relocated to the permanent dump site at Onitsha – Owerri Road, Obosi.
Uba added that the refuse in the present location had jeopardised the health of the people and therefore condemned the location of sensitive institutions like health centres near the dump site, assuring that the heaps of waste would be relocated where they would be used for the waste-to-wealth programme of the state.
The Commissioner hinted that the state government gave the consultant handling the exercise between three and four weeks to complete the assignment, pointing out that the removal of the heaps of waste would be a big relief to the community as congested and highly populated as Okpoko.
He promised that the refuse would be evacuated and the area beautified, stating that the Okpoko Community would wear a new look at the end of the exercise.
In his own comment, the representative of the consulting company, Mr. Victor Udeh said that all logistics and equipment like pall-loaders and tippers had been mobilised to enable them remove the heaps of waste from the present location, assuring that they would complete their assignment within the time frame.
Members of the community expressed joy and happiness to the state government for responding immediately to their communal request.
By Obialunamma Nwadiogbu
Vanguard News.
No comments:
Post a Comment