Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state is battling with the challenge of gabbage even as the state government has suddenly woken up to the challenge. OJO OLADELE reports
It is acknowled that health is wealth but in Ekiti state, this saying does not have much relevance both to the government and the governed.
This is because of the level of indiscriminate wastes being deposited in strategic locations including median of the dual carriage way in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
This development, without mincing words, has been a great concern to the good people of the state who daily express fear that, if urgent steps are not taken to address the situation, there might be outbreak of cholera and hosts of other dieseases across the state.
Areas mostly dotted by wastes within Ado-Ekiti metropolis include Ijigbo junction, St Paul Church area, Ilegemo, Isamo frontages, St Georges area in Mathew Street all at Odo Ado area, StThomases’ frontage at Irona Adebayo area, among others.
However, it seems the body charge with the responsibility, Ekiti State Waste Management Board, appears to have shirked in its responsibility having not performed to the peoples’ expectations.
Hardly a day passes that one would not hear questions about the whereabout of sanitary inspectors as it was in years past in order to save the situation.
Residents angst
Without mincing words; however, some of these residents in the unpatriotic, unhealthy culture are also amongst those decrying the ugly development by their complaints on a daily basis.
Among those who expressed disgust at the filthy environment that stinks badly in the metropolis include a community leader at Odo Ado area, Mr Ologunleko Gbolahan who in his comment posited that the state government should be held responsible for the indiscriminate waste disposal especially in the capital.
According to him, “I’m not happy with the littering of our streets by wastes. I observe that the government doesn’t want to do the needful by enforcing environmental laws at its disposal. This may be due to political reason, but now that the governorship election is over, I think it would be necessary at this point to act fast and prevent the outbreak of avoidable diseases as a result of neglegence,” he stated.
Another community leader, Mr Oluyemi Ajibola, who resides at Irona street in Ado-Ekiti in his comment said that the goverent should endeavour to bring a lasting solution to the issue of wastes disposal by compelling each and every household to cultivate the habit of paying little stipends for the collection of waste instead of pouring them at wrong places, a development he said has become a recurring decimal and an eyesore.
“Looking at the stentch that comes out of this rubbish, I mean, heaps of wastes in almost very nooks and crannies of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, I would like to suggest that we should rather resolve into paying little stipends to a body that would be evacuating it so as to prevent outbreak of cholera and other imaginable diseases,” he maintained.
However, there is an outcry by some residents who have their homestead located at the site where the wastes are being deposited. They expressed dissatisfaction daily with the stench that emanates from the waste and also the environmental pollution it causes. This they observe is inimical to their health at the long run; therefore have been stressing the urgent need by the government to relocate the site without delay.
Regrettably, the state government could not have claimed to have arisen against the challenge as a good number of concerned Ekiti people who reside in most of the affected areas have always accused the state government of showing lackadaisical attitude towards making the state environmentally hygienic.
Governor Fayemi took on the challenge
Apparently worried and perhaps disturbed by the deplorable situation of waste littering in the capital city, the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi had barely a week ago issued a seven-day ultimatum against roadside trading, indiscriminate waste disposal in the state capital.
Fayemi, who fumed and unusually came out for the first time as his second tenure of office is gradually winding up, appeared embittered with the unpalatable situation and ordered a seven-day ultimatum to roadside traders at Ọja Oba and other strategic places in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital to relocate to Agric Olope and Awedele markets within the metropolis.
Dr Fayemi, gave the order in Ado-Ekiti at a meeting with stakeholders including security agencies, market women leaders, transport union leaders, environmental sanitation officers, representative of government agencies, and chairmen Ado-Ekiti local government and local council development areas, last week Monday.
Apparently displeased with the congestion being experienced at Oja Oba and its environs, the governor said defaulters of the order would be prosecuted according to the extant environmental laws of the state beginning from July 4.
The governor also expressed displeasure at the indiscriminate disposal of refuse on the median of the dual carriage roads in the state capital, adding that enforcement agencies and mobile courts would be instituted in critical places in the state capital to arrest and immediately prosecute defaulters.
The governor revealed that all the needed facilities to make Agric Olope and Awedele markets conducive had been provided in addition to adequate security, including Amotekun to secure properties and lives of the people in the area.
He charged the people of the state and environmental sanitation agencies to complement government efforts at making the state clean and healthy.
The governor also ordered that relevant agencies, committees, local government council and other concerned groups to form a synergy and come up with a roadmap that would form the action plan for implementation within seven days.
Governor Fayemi disclosed that the ongoing bus terminal building in the state capital was part of government measure to address indiscriminate commercial car activities and make the road safe for all users in the state.
“I have just driven from Ilawe to the Government House and it is the same problem. This is 11 O’clock all the rubbish dropped in the median of the dual carriage way is still sitting there as I speak.
“The major reason I called this meeting is particularly about the problem at Oja Oba. I would give one week till July 4 for every single space around Oja Oba to be cleared. Those who are supposed to go to Agric Olope which would have cleared and made available or Awedele, if they don’t leave Oja Oba and go there in the next one week, would be prosecuted.
“I want to plead with all that are concerned, the committee that Hon commissioner for work and transport chaired, the one that director general, Office of Transformation, Strategy and Delivery (OTSD) has been driving all these should come together after this meeting and develop a road map that would be the action plan for implementation within the next one week.
“If there are cost implementations, let me have it and I would address that. Anybody who has no business in Oja Ọba should move to Agric Olope or Awedele markets,” he charged.
Earlier, the director general OTSD, Professor Mobolaji Aluko, explained that the meeting was at the instant of the governor to address congestion at Oja Oba, sanitation of the state capital and other related matters.
