Abuja residents seek proper coordination on evacuation of waste
Some residents in the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday called for proper coordination between the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and local governments’ waste management agencies to improve evacuation of waste.
They made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Mr Richard Okechukwu, a resident of Karmo, said residents were confused about which agencies should be held responsible to evacuate refuse in the area.
“Most of the time, we don’t know who to call to draw their attention to the heaps of refuse uncollected in this area,’’ he said.
Okechukwu, who decried heaps of refuse uncollected in the area, said it exposed residents to health hazard.
“As it is now, the waste collection point has become a problem on its own and this has given room for residents to dump refuse indiscriminately in the area.
“The people of this area prefer to dump refuse on the ground or road side.
“In the morning, we cannot stay here at the bus stop because of the offensive odour coming from the refuse,” he said.
Mr Semiu Mohammed, a resident of Kubwa, urged AEPB and relevant waste management agencies in the area councils to explore better options of waste management.
“For over a month, the waste in this area has not been collected and I don’t see the need for a refuse bin, if it will not be emptied when filled,’’ he said.
Mohammed, who said he stopped paying waste collection fee owing to the failure of the waste management agency to evacuate it, added that he employed the service of scavengers to evacuate his refuse bin.
Mrs Georgina James, a resident of Area 10, said the AEPB officials were trying their best in clearing and evacuation of waste in the city. “I think there is need to improve on evacuation of waste in the suburbs of Abuja because I have been noticing heaps of waste uncollected in those areas,’’ she said. (NAN)