By Ugochukwu Amaraizu Esq.
The recent declaration of state of emergency in environmental sanitation in the State is indeed a welcome development. It is only Abians with senses of cleanliness and decency that will appreciate this move by the Abia State Government to forestall indiscriminate littering of the Abia environment.
Placement of ASEPA buckets at various strategic positions was once a good idea. It only made it easier for people doing businesses and/or resident close to the buckets to access the buckets for dumping of refuse. It is not in doubt that rural-urban migration has been in the increase thereby affecting the quantity of waste that is being generated daily in places like Aba and Umuahia. When ASEPA buckets are evacuated and returned empty, they are equally filled up within 6hrs to the extent that more of the debris will be pouring on the ground. The Aba trader or business man doesnt care whether the bucket is filled up or not. The only alternative is to drop it on the ground and that is how it continues until the debris expands beyound the space provided for the bucket. The development defaces the City and makes it unfit for human habitation.
Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu's policy of removing the ASEPA buckets from those strategic positions is a decent policy that will help to clean up the face of Abia. It will help our Cities to begin to wear new complexions. Cleanliness they say is next to godliness. I wonder why the Broadcasting Coporation of Abia ( BCA ) is no longer featuring that beautiful song that says: "......remember Abia is God's own State, to make it clean, make Abia a cleaner State, a better place to stay, Abia is God's own State, unu anugo...... " When will our people begin to imbibe the principles of decency? This thing is not peculiar to Abia. Virtually all the inhabitants in the various States are doing same. It is only in some places like Abuja and Victoria Island in Lagos that you see a decent and clean environment. In other States, it is only when you approach their Government Houses and their surroundings that you will see a clean environment. In every place you go, you will surely see waste buckets being filled and the surroundings being littered with waste and debris. What kind of humans are being brought to this part of the world?
Fellow Abians and Nigerians living and/or doing business in Abia, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has acquired new set of compactors for evacuation of waste in Abia. The same will be deployed to various Zones for collection of waste from street by street. The State Government will, any moment from now, remove the ASEPA buckets from those points that they have contributed in giving the Abia environment a very bad picture at the National/International planes. Abia residents and traders should be ready to comply to this directive for their own good.
Similarly, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu ordered Abia residents and traders, owners of shops and companies to clear drainage channels in front of their houses, shops, offices and companies. The utilitarian value of this directive cannot be overemphasized. Abians who appreciate good things do not need to be compelled to clear drainage channels. It is only the stubborn and dirty ones that will not be ready to comply. You have been directed to clear the drainages and keep the waste for the waste Managers to come and pack to the permanent dumping sites. This will undoubtedly enhance free flow of water on those water ways.
I will also add that Abia state Government need to set up a Waste Management Task Force to monitor travellers who in the course of coming into or going out of our Cities litter our environment. We must establish or promote zero tolerance for indiscriminate dumping of refuse in our environment. While we are hoping that this Government will put all machineries on ground to implement her new policy, we expect Abians or everyone living and doing business in Abia to co-operate in order to keep the State clean.
Thank you His Excellency- Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu for your recent decent policy on sanitation in Abia. Thats noble!
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