A peep into Abuja’s toxic waste haven

Located in the heart of Abuja is a thriving illegal dump site patronised by individuals, construction companies and scavengers where electronic, household and construction wastes are dumped on daily basis and burnt indiscriminately, polluting and contaminating the environment.The kilometre long dump site located behind the Jabi Motor park serves as abode for scavengers with heavy […]

Located in the heart of Abuja is a thriving illegal dump site patronised by individuals, construction companies and scavengers where electronic, household and construction wastes are dumped on daily basis and burnt indiscriminately, polluting and contaminating the environment.
The kilometre long dump site located behind the Jabi Motor park serves as abode for scavengers with heavy duty construction companies vehicles and private cars coming in their numbers to dump wastes which are taken apart and searched for valuables by the scavengers.
This development is going on unabated in spite of several efforts by the federal government and the FCT administration to fight against depletion of the ozone layer, a resultant effect of the emission of greenhouse gases.
As part of strategies to curtail the threat of global warming, the federal government has established different agencies and launched different campaigns in the fight for sustainable environment, yet Nigerians still indulge in  open burning of wastes, another means of gaseous emission in the country.
There are various dumpsites within the Federal Capital Territory where wastes are deposited and properly sorted to ensure a clean environment but the emergence of illegal dump sites in the city centre has affected the efforts of the FCT Administration to rid the city of wastes, some of which are undoubtedly toxic.
Investigation by Daily Trust reveals that scavengers and labourers take advantage of the vast land to erect batchers where they rest in the course of their job.
The open burning of these hazardous wastes at the site, according to an expert, poses grave danger to the environment as well as the health of the residents.
Dr Ojo Adegoke, an environmental consultant said that exposure of Nigerians to such dangerous gases may have great implication on their health.
“Nigeria is party to a lot of international protocols that prohibit the burning of such materials which have adverse effect on the environment and health of people, it is regrettable that in the heart of Abuja, this kind of activity is taking place and nothing has been done about it,” he added.
An aggrieved resident, Mr. Charles Aturu, said most people who burn the waste are ignorant of the health dangers inherent in the practice.
“This toxic waste burning does not only affect Jabi and Utako residents; it affects the whole Abuja residents because the emission pollutes the atmosphere. You can see the weather has now changed, so whenever we breathe, we inhale some of this dangerous emission, which gradually affects our respiratory system,” he said.
Another resident, Sharaffudeen Ibrahim, said the open burning of waste is a habit that people have been condoning  for long following the inability of the institutions  in charge to sensitize the public and also put in measures to guard against the act.
“If we have functional environmental agencies that have the interest of the citizens at heart, all these dangerous habits that pose threats to the environment and our health will be avoided or put to a minimal level,” he added.
However, a statement issued by AEPB and signed by Mr Joe Ukairo, Head Information and Outreach Programme noted that: “AEPB is aware of the waste dump which majorly comes from the Jabi Motor park. We have been evacuating it routinely especially during the special sanitation days when we have the support of our friends – some construction firms who freely donate their heavy equipment vehicles to us for city sanitation activities. Incidentally, the location has already been mapped out for mopping up operations; as I speak AEPB team is working there now to evacuate the dumps.”
The statement said that AEPB held several meetings with the representatives of the transport companies operating at the Jabi motor park and AMAC “the owners” of the park on sustainable sanitation in and around the Jabi motor park.
“The meetings have been productive; though we are not there yet. The high point however, is that plans to develop and manage the park under the PPP arrangement are underway under the able leadership of the Hon. Minister of State, FCT , Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide. It follows therefore that very soon the challenge of open dumping within the area will be a thing of the past,” the statement added.
It is also a duty on FCT residents to act right and live right by taking charge of their immediate environment. A lot of households and business premises do not have adequate waste receptacles for proper waste storage, leading to indiscriminate dumping and littering. AEPB warns that those found wanting in this regard will not go unpunished, the statement noted.