Some residents of the Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concern about the growing piles of refuse along the Zuba-Gwagwalada expressway.
The residents spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwagwalada, FCT.
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They want the Gwagwalada Area Council to provide designated waste collection sites within the district where residents can dump waste for proper evacuation to the designated dump sites.
According to them, the indiscriminate dumping of refuse all over the council, even on major roads, is unhygienic and uncalled for.
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A resident, Femi Ayoola, said that the Gwagwalada-Zuba Expressway was a major concern.
According to him, the non-availability of proper waste collection sites has forced many residents to dump waste indiscriminately without any punishment.
“If there is a proper waste management culture and law, it will help to enforce proper waste management law and punish those who go against it.
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“You see people carry their waste and dump it in the drainage and on the road without fear. You cannot punish them because no place(s) were provided for them,” he said.
Mr Ayoola said residents should also learn to properly manage their waste.
Similarly, Chidimma Ukoji, a resident of Dagiri, said that the non-provision of designated dump sites and the irregular evacuation of waste by relevant authorities had contributed to waste being dumped on roads and waterways.
According to Mrs Ukoji, some residents do not have waste bins in their respective homes. They always tie their waste in a nylon bag and dispose of it however they like.
She stressed the need to proffer lasting solutions to the indiscriminate dumping of waste in Gwagwalada, especially given the area’s growing population.
“People’s attitude towards waste management is a major concern to improving the way wastes are disposed. Some people do not care how they dispose of their waste.
“Very soon, the rainy season will start, and all this waste on the road will find its way into the gutters and drainage, which in turn might cause flooding and even an outbreak of disease.
“There is a need for residents to try and do the right things to prevent these environmental challenges,” she said.
Mrs Ukoji also called on the government to revive the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, saying this would help to keep the environment clean.
Another resident, Sarah Agboola, described the trend of indiscriminate refuse dumping as an eyesore that requires urgent attention.
Mrs Agboola appealed to the Gwagwalada Area Council to improve waste collection, provide disposal facilities, and enforce sanitation laws.
She advised community leaders to adopt responsible waste practices in their areas in order to improve environmental cleanliness and safeguard public health.
Also, Bello Usman urged the council to fulfil its responsibilities and engage waste management contractors who would visit households on a stipulated date to collect waste.
He said this would help to discourage the activities of ‘baban bola’ who go to houses, collect these wastes, and dump them indiscriminately.
“The area council is not doing what they are supposed to do, that is why you see these ‘baban bola’ collecting waste from people and dumping it anywhere they feel like.
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“When you drive along Gwagwalada-Zuba road, you will see that waste is gradually entering the road, and some even defecate on this heap of waste on the road.
“This is a serious menace that needs to be tackled urgently and with all seriousness, if not one day we might be forced to drive or walk on waste that will have covered the roads,” he said.
Juliet Ajakaye said that effective waste management remains critical to achieving a clean and healthy environment in the council.
Mrs Ajakaye stressed the need for continued awareness campaigns against indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which she said was one of the causes of flooding in the area.
There is a need to continually educate residents on the importance of proper waste management and the effects of an unhealthy environment.
“It is our individual responsibility to ensure our community is sanitised and clean at all times,” she said.
NAN recalls that the council had pledged to engage the services of private contractors for house-to-house waste evacuation, but has yet to commence. (NAN)
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