Why we shut dump points in Uyo – Official

The Chairperson, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency said the agency is considering transitioning from dumpsites to sanitary landfills, a waste disposal technique that does not disturb the environment and public health.

The technique efficiently utilises engineering skills to confine waste in the smallest practical area possible before reducing the volume by covering it with a layer of earth to ensure the least exposure to air.

The chairperson of the Agency, Prince Ikim, who disclosed this in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, said the agency had begun a house-to-house waste evacuation scheme with a pilot phase at Shelter Afrique, a residential estate for the elites in the state.

He said the house-to-house waste evacuation scheme would be extended to Ewet Housing Estates and other estates in the oil-rich state.

Mr Ikim was responding to PREMIUM TIMES’ enquiry on why the agency has shut several dump points in the state capital, Uyo.

“I know one of the places you are referring to is the one close to Ewet Housing Police Station. Ewet Housing is an organised estate and we intend to do house-to-house waste evacuation in the estate. We don’t want that place to be a dump point.

“Most of the ones shut down were illegal dump points. We had to shut them down so that they do not constitute a nuisance to the public,” Mr Ikim said.

Mr Ikim served as chairperson of Oruk Anam Local Government Area before he was appointed the agency chairperson in 2018 by then-Governor Udom Emmanuel. Under his watch, the state has garnered several awards in the environmental sector, including the cleanest state in the country in the last seven consecutive years.

We have shut down 45 dump points

Mr Ikim said that being one of the most peaceful states in the country, Akwa Ibom has witnessed an influx of people coming into the state to do business, thereby increasing the population of the south-south state.

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“You know, since the population has grown, waste generation has also gone up. So, certain places were not for residential but today houses have been built in those places and they are also generating waste.

“So, we have shut about 45 dump points, and we are also going to create other dump points,” he said.

He said his agency had identified places to create new dump points for them.

To aid waste evacuation, Mr Ikim said Governor Umo Eno had directed the construction of 50 6,000-litre receptacles and five 12,000-litre receptacles.

“The governor has also purchased several trucks to add to our fleet of cars. He has created 101 jobs in the agency for waste evacuation and desilting,” he said.

Speaking on what he has done differently from his predecessors to earn Akwa Ibom the rating as the cleanest state for the past seven years, Mr Ikim said, “Passion to serve has been my driving force followed by the massive support we are enjoying from the governor”.

He said his agency regularly sensitises the residents on best waste disposal practices and has also introduced an award for the cleanest local government area in the state.

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We evacuate 2,200 tons of waste daily,

Speaking further, Mr Ikim said his agency evacuates 2,200 tons of waste daily and disclosed plans to begin waste-to-wealth creation.

He said Governor Eno has directed the agency to liaise with the Ministry of Lands and Town Planning and relocate the dump site at Uyo Village Road to a better location.

“I’m not looking at having a dump site any longer but sanitary landfills, which will give us enough space to attract companies that have indicated interest in recycling.

“We are talking with some companies. Some companies want to recycle waste to fertiliser and energy and others,” he said.

He identified residents’ lack of compliance with environmental standards as the agency’s major challenge but said it would be addressed with continuous sensitisation and enforcement.