AMAC residents decry indiscriminate dumping of refuse

Some residents of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have decried the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roads and open areas in the city. The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said the situation has become worrisome and called on the authorities concerned to act fast. Mr. Joshua Tobiloba, a […]

Some residents of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have decried the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roads and open areas in the city.

The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said the situation has become worrisome and called on the authorities concerned to act fast.

Mr. Joshua Tobiloba, a businessman and resident of Asokoro, said refuse dumped indiscriminately in various parts of the town, especially along the road, was an eyesore.

Tobiloba said considering the harmful effects of refuse on human health, the relevant authorities should be up and doing to clear the town of the indiscriminate dumps.

“This is necessary to ensure environmental cleanliness and the well-being of the people. But some residents “even when the bins are filled up, will keep dumping wastes on the ground and some of the wastes will be falling into the gutter,” he said.

He noted that government agency had kept roll-roll bins along the road for residents but that some of the people were not making proper use of them.

Mrs Veronica Adams, a civil servant, said the city centre was gradually becoming an eyesore with heaps of refuse at every corner of the city.

She said Abuja remained a miniature Nigeria that should project the image of the country, and should therefore be given special attention.

“The environmental cleaning contractors who also are supposed to help us to evacuate the refuse at the right time are not really committed to the job. This is rainy season and once the refuse enters into the gutter, it will cause flooding in the area, when it rains. It is disgusting to see that some residents don’t even care about the situation,’’ she said.

Adams said the refuse could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which would lead to the spread of diseases

Mr Oluseyi Onakalu, an engineer who resides in Kugbo, blamed the situation on those saddled with the responsibility of cleaning up the city, noting that “they have failed in performing their duties.”

Onakalu called on the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to wake up to its responsibility by ensuring that the city was kept clean at all times.

He urged AEPB to put in more energy into the cleaning of the city instead of chasing hawkers and road sellers.

Mr Abdulfatai Saliu, a resident of Karu, said the attitude of some residents toward keeping the city clean was deplorable, adding that a situation where residents dumped refuse indiscriminately “is bad and offensive’’.

Saliu called for strict implementation of the law against refuse dumping in the city, adding that such attitude should always attract punishment.

He called on the AMAC chairman to pay special attention to the council to ensure the environment was kept clean. (NAN)