The whole nation was mobilised, into action, in 1984, to confront the mountains of refuse threatening the giant of Africa, Nigeria. To be exact, it was the military Administration of Buhari- Idiagbon that decreed the nation-wide environmental clean-up excerise in our county. The regime directed that every last Saturday of every month, no State in Nigeria should abstain from keeping its environment free from filth. This was in vogue nation-wide, until another military junta took over power from Buhari-Idiagbon and promptly put to an end the nation-wide environmental clean-up excerise.
The new Sheriff in town, however, announced that the State governments were at liberty to organise their own clean-up exercise as the right way to go.
It would be noted however, that urban centres in the State were engulfed with unimaginable mountains of refuse. The state capital Umuahia, and Aba, the commercial nerve-centre of the state were worst hit. Almost every street corner, market square, designated refuse bins, indeed everywhere was littered with heaps of solid waste, rubbish, piles of debris, garbages and what have you. This unwholesome state of affairs has obviously undermined the good health of people living and doing business in the urban centres of the state.
In the task of keeping Abia State clean, a segment of our people have not lived up to expectation. These are people who are yet to buy into the renewed operation keep Abia clean at all times. Take for instance, a good number of our people hardly participate in the monthly sanitation exercise instituted by government.
These people are seen roaming about the streets, playing football at the expense of keeping their surroundings free from filth. Another group of people hardly dump their refuse at the designated dump sites. They indulge in littering their surroundings with all manner of wastes, including casting their trash, rubbish and what have you inside drains, whenever it rains. Another set of people will not bother or cut over grown grasses and weeds sprouting within and around their premises. Yet another set of people will distance themselves from desilting drainages and gutters, while their neighbours were at work. All these have contributed in making our environment unwholesome and unfit for human habitation.
The need to keep our environment spick-and-span cannot be overemphasized. There is no doubt that clean environment would go a long way to keep mosquitoes, flies, serpents and other dangerous reptiles away from our abodes. In the same vein maintaining good hygienic and healthy environment helps to drive diseases away in our midst.
God’s Own State was under threat of mountains of refuse, when the 5th Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, came on board on May 29, 2023. Instantly on his inaugural speech, Governor Otti declared “State of emergency on refuse disposal and waste management in the State.
To get the job done, a nimble-footed taskforce was immediate mobilized to site. Generally speaking, Umuahia and Aba are getting neater and cleaner, since Governor Otti ascended the throne of power in the State.
Unlike in the past, the Dr. Otti led administration promptly announced that the monthly environmental clean-up exercise would now take place between 7am till 10am in the morning of every last Saturday of every month. This step was taken to ensure that everyone embraces and participates in the sanitation excerise before leaving home for other engagements.
In the years gone-bye, desilt debris usually faced uphill task before they were carted away. At such moments, piles of rubbish easily found their way back to drainages. Of course, insufficient waste evacuation trucks and receptacles were at the centre of the set back.
Quite interestingly, Dr. Otti Administration has promised to evolve more sustainable and scientific approach to systematically address solid waste management in the State.
As a matter of urgency, government should produce more receptacles to further ease the challenge of waste management in the State. This Administration is highly commendable for promising to engage private sector participants in the waste management services of the State. Those who are yet to embrace Operation keep your surroundings clean at all time, must turn a new leaf or be made to face sanitation court.
From all accounts, Governor Otti is on course to clean and clear the mess confronting the State. Keeping Abia clean is a task that must be won.
Comrade John Emejor is the State Director of Information
