From Gyang Bere, Jos
The indiscriminate dumping of waste materials in major streets of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, and elsewhere is generating serious concerns among members of the public.
The unhealthy development, which was responsible for the outback of communicable diseases such as cholera that perished several lives in some communities in the past, may likely repeat itself if precautionary measures are not taken by government and supported by citizens.
It is observed that refuse are dumped indiscriminately in some parts of the state, particularly at major streets within the state capital while heaps of waste materials are sighted in some designated dumping sites provided by government.
Some of these waste materials are dumped close to residential areas and, in most cases, close to mini market where people buy fruits and vegetables for consumption. Sadly, this refuse are allowed to stay for weeks without being evacuated by the government agency responsible for that.
It was observed that a site for the disposal of waste materials is provided at the Paul Gindiri overhead bridge in Dadin Kowa, l for evacuation by an agency under the ministry of environment. But these waste materials are allowed for long without evacuation.
The residents of Jos and Bukuru metropolis express worry over the growing heaps of refuse in the cities, particularly across streets and satellites markets within the state.
In Jos South Local Government Area, refuse heaps are conspicuously noticed at Dadin Kowa, Miango Junction close to INEC office, Bukuru Market, Kugiya Market and some strategic locations capable of causing disaffection and health hazard for residents of the areas.
The dump sites which are closer to shops, where people buy food items for consumption emit offensive odor that turn off anyone who pass through the routes.
A similar situation also played out at Old Bukuru Park, Murtala Muhammed Way, Terminus Market and Langtang Street, Gada biu, Alheri, and Farin Gada, among other communities in Jos North Local Government Area, where visible heaps of refuse have become parts of life in the localities.
A shop owner at Kufan community in Miango Junction, Grace John, expressed disgust over the accumulation of refuse heaps in the area and said the waste material constitute health hazard to residents of the area.
She said dozen of people have perished in the past as a result of the growing refuse which led to outbreak of cholera in the community and called on government to take proactive measures to evaluate waste materials within a short time to avoid causing health challenges for the people.
“This has always been the practice in this neighborhood, people dump waste indiscriminately and sometimes the refuse stay for weeks without evacuation. This causes alot of health hazard for people in the area. I task on government officials responsible for this job to swing into action and address the situation,” she said.
A commercial bus driver, Shehu Bala, described the situation as pathetic and said the failure of government to evacuate the refuse timely would caused cholera outbreak and other communicable diseases.
Hellen Pam, who hawks banana at Vom Junction, said although government has always evacuated the refuse but that has not been constant, leaving the waste materials to grow and overrun some streets.
“In most cases, serious stench come out of the dump site, making the place very unhabitable for passerby. People dump refuse form their homes besides waste materials that come from selling points and shops in the area,” she said explained.
North Central Zonal Coordinator of Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Comrade Steve Aluko, said there is improper road network and drainages in the state which usually left the state flooded when there is heavy downpour.
He noted with dissatisfaction the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in some major streets in Jos which government fail to clear until when citizens raise eyebrows.
“Waste management is beyond declaring just one day for sanitation, it should be a 24-hour exercise that does not require closing of shops or locking down the economy. It should be a deliberate exercise that involved all citizens with government taking the lead.
“Government should redouble efforts to ensure all dump sites are cleared withoutxnot until when members of the public raise alarm. This is to avoid environmental health hazard on members of the public,” he stated.
The commissioner for environment, Hon. Elisha Bitrus, said the ministry is not sleeping over its responsibility of keeping Plateau State clean. He encouraged Plateau residents to take the monthly sanitation serious even as the raining season gets stronger.
He explained that there are designated dump sites within Jos Bukuru metropolis where families throw their refuse for evacuation by the ministry. He said the effort is aimed at stopping indiscriminate dumping of refuse across the state.
Bitrus noted that a memo has been prepared for onward submission to the state government with a view to getting resources to ensure proper disposal of wastes in every nook and cranny of the state.
He advised residents to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the state, particularly in drainages where water ways are blocked to cause flood and destruction of lives.
He said: “Now that the raining season is approaching fast, we will intensify efforts to ensure that the water ways are not blocked, no indiscriminate dumping of refuse and all dumping sites are clear on time to avoid any health hazard.”