By Nosa Àkeñzua
Emitting odour from various dumpsites across Delta State has caused epidemic as residents in 21 Local Government Areas of the state have been reportedly sacked from their houses.
Investigation revealed that the refuse dumps had been the handiwork of the intransigent and unscrupulous elements who in their nonchalant act circumvent the state government’s warnings on the indiscriminate refuse dumps either on the roadsides or anywhere during wee hours.
The state government, recently through a press statement signed by its Secretary to the State Government ( SSG) Dr Kingsley Emu, warned that anyone caught in indiscriminate refuse dump, would be severely sanctioned, and punished in accordance with the law, adding that, “residents of Delta State are hereby warned to desist from the dumping of refuse indiscriminately especially during nightfall or wee hours.
“The State Government is aware that some hoodlums, unscrupulous elements are involved in this nefarious activities but the long arms of the law will soon catch up with these elements who are not bothered about the extant laws”
. Further investigation revealed that Asaba, Warri, Expressway in Asaba, Ibusa, Ughelli North, South, Sapele towns , among others, are worst hit by the Indiscriminate refuse dumps, Particularly during rainfall where the refuse dumps are swept into River Niger, thereby causing flooding. In Asaba, the situation is worse in Ogbeogono market, Summit Junction, Ogbesowe Quarters, among others where two persons were allegedly feared killed after they were said to have drank water from a close by River Niger that had been dotted with indiscriminate refuse dumps over time.
The victims ( names witheld) were said to have died in a private hospital after they drank water from the stream believed to have been polluted with refuse dumps, but a relation of one of the victims, Mrs Anne Chwukwu who spoke to our correspondent said” My sister drank water from the River Niger that we believed was polluted with Indiscriminate refuse dumps and she was rushed to the hospital around Awai Road, where she gave up the ghost three days after. The emitting odour from the dumping sites have sacked many residents of Asaba metropolis, and people who are dumping the refuse are not moved by the state government’s warnings”
Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Environments, Dr ( Mrs) Minnie Oseji who spoke to our correspondent said:”We have seen the side effects of indiscriminate refuse dumps and the odour, and many residents are moving out of their areas because of the emitting odour from the refuse dumps. We are strictly moving round with taskforce members who will arrest those who have been dumping refuse on the road sides , it has been very difficult to arrest anyone because the dumps are usually carried out around wee hours.The state government is very sad on this unfortunate activities in the state”.
As part of efforts, however, to check indiscriminate refuse dumps and create a clearer environment, Delta State Government has pledged its Commitment to regular evacuation of refuse from all dumpsites across the state. Speaking to journalists on Monday in Asaba, the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Delta State Waste Management Board, ( DSWMB) , Mr Stephen Idogun however assured that the the evacuation exercise coming up soon, will be sustained to support the realization of Delta State Governor, Chief Sheriff Francis Oborovwori’s MORE Agenda, adding that the exercise, is aimed at providing a conducive climate for business, investment and general developmental activities to thrive as promised by the Sheriff Francis Oborovwori administration.
Idogun explained that during the exercise, Agbor, Boji Boji Owa, Sapele, Agbharo, Warri, Ibusa and other locations, will be intensively evacuated, and expressed gratitude to the state government for various forms of support to the waste management Board which enabled it to make the exercise a huge success, adding that:” We will improve on past efforts, having realized that a clean and conducive environment is a necessity in the Light of Governor Sheriff Francis Oborovwori’s preparedness to provide for Deltans in the next eight years, The Delta State Waste Management Board, is therefore not leaving anything to chance. We will continue to regularly visit the designated dumpsites which are seven in number in the state to rid them of refuse from time to time thereby promoting refuse collection and disposal across the state”.
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Landlords in Asaba, Ibusa, Okpanam, Agbor communities who spoke through Mr, Charles Urehe decried the offensive odour emitting from refuse dumps, especially on the road side, stressing that many of the them have been sacked from their houses because of the odour. “We are suffering here because of the emitting odour from refuse dumps and we cannot open our windows for air again because of that”.
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