The Abia State Head of Taskforce on Waste Management, Mr. Ogbonnia Okereke, has decried how the lack of waste management machines is affecting the activities of the task force, disclosing that the state only has four ‘fairly manageable compactor trucks for the evacuation of waste.
Mr. Okereke disclosed this at a press briefing Friday in Umuahia, saying that three of the trucks were stationed in Aba while one, which usually breaks down, is in Umuahia.
While pointing out that Abia State needs at least 20 of those compactor trucks to effectively tackle waste management in the cities of Aba and Umuahia, Okereke decried the unprecedented looting of Government property by some individuals during the past administration, revealing that one of the trucks was recently recovered from an individual’s house where it was concealed.
He further explained that only 6 out of the 11 refuse dump buckets in Aba “are functional, adding that the Ariaria International Market axis alone needs about 10 of such buckets.
The Head of the Waste Management Task Force also lamented that the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) was ill-equipped, stressing that the low morale of its staff is hampering waste disposal efforts.
“ASEPA has 11 buckets in Aba, but only six are manageable. The agency also has four functional trucks, with three in Aba and only one in Umuahia.
“The state needs about 200 buckets—100 in Aba, 50 in Umuahia, and 50 in other emerging towns. The state also needs about 20 trucks for effective evacuation of refuse,” he stated.
He, however, said that the State Government was thinking of a more sustainable measure for effective waste disposal through a public-private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
Giving the scorecard reports of the task force set up by Governor Otti through an Executive Order, Mr. Okereke said they have made a lot of achievements within a month, stating that from July 1, there will be some stringent measures to curtail irregular waste disposal.
According to him, from July 1, waste disposal by individuals will only be allowed between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. daily as the Taskforce will commence night operations in Umuahia.
He warned that any person disposing of ‘unbagged’ waste or in an unauthorized location, as well as the unofficial hour, would be tried in a Mobil court for appropriate sanctions.
