The defacing of Ahoada-Omoku Road, in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, with refuse heaps has become a major concern to residents and natives of the area.
A native, Mr Osiah Chinedu Ojukwu, who is a member of the Omoku Youth Federation OYF, spoke with TPCN in an interview where he warned against the health implications of the increasing refuse heaps along the road.
Ojukwu expressed the fear that the health of residents and passersby were at risk, following a possible epidemic outbreak if the practice of disposing refuse indiscriminately was not stopped completely.
He lamented that “this is not civilization but madness. Omoku is drowning in filth, enough is enough. My beloved Omoku, once a growing, beautiful, and organized city, is now sinking under the weight of filth.
“Our roadsides and road divide have become dumping grounds, filled with refuse, we toss without a second thought. This didn’t begin with a policy or a plan, it began with indiscipline, carelessness, and a complete loss of shame.
“To those who dump refuse like it’s nothing: are you really thinking like human beings Or have you reduced yourselves to animals, dining and wining in waste? This is not how decent people live. This is not civilization; this is disgraceful.
“You wake up in the morning, step over piles of garbage you helped create, and feel no guilt? No shame? It’s time we all took a hard look in the mirror. If this continues, we won’t just be surrounded by dirt, we’ll be consumed by disease and death. An epidemic is looming, and when it hits, no one will be spared.
“The absence of a functioning local government is no excuse for madness. Cleanliness begins with personal responsibility. Omoku deserves better, and so do you.”
Ojukwu, while condemning the defacing of the environment with waste dump, which he said were littered on the median of major routes, also described the act as worrisome. “It is a worry to me; in fact, that is my most worry now as I speak with you. It’s something I am worried about, It’s exactly what I’m thinking about how best to tackle the situation.
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“The culture or practice of dumping refuse on the pedestrian, I don’t know where we got that culture from, that is not how civilised people behave, anybody with senses, how can you be dumping waste at the middle of the road, so wherever place they borrowed that culture I am totally against it.”
To the state government, the OYF members appealed that “they should do something by creating a place where people can go and dump their waste not on the road. For me, I have made a proposal to the left administration on waste management so that we can turn this waste into money but they turned it down, because maybe I am not wealthy but if I had money as I speak with you now, I would have started something and turn those waste into money.
“I have done so many things to see how we can arrest this situation. I even met with the sanitary department of the youth. They couldn’t handle the situation because people were fighting back in a place that was not organized. Why you go say make we no put dustpin who you be?
In a bid to ensure a safe and clean environment for residents, Ojukwu appealed to the LG leaders, CDC and community leaders to, “please, create another avenue where people can be dumping their refuse and possibly, fund us with little thing let’s begin to turn those waste into money, it will also generate revenue for the state or local government.”
