Abuja Locals Criticize The Attitude Toward Waste Management.
As the dry season approaches, some Abuja metropolitan residents have resumed the practice of depositing trash in drainage channels, obstructing the free flow of wastewater.
Drainages in places like Kubwa, Saburi, Wuse, Dutse, Kuje, and Bwari are blocked by long grasses and garbage, as well as rubbish. Residents worry that if the pattern holds, the capital city’s vulnerability to the rainy season would intensify.
The absence of trash cans in areas like Maitama, Garki, Jabi, and other places in the city center is another issue that worries the locals. A merchant named Kagara Aliyu bemoaned the absence of a reliable garbage disposal system in the city when speaking with The Guardian. He said that if people prioritize a clean and safe environment, the threat can disappear.
Another resident, government servant Duncan Kingsley, lamented the unwholesome attitude of the populace and urged people to follow the rules when it comes to the environment.
In addition, Kalu Opara, a Dutse resident, said: “The clogged drains are emptying away the inhabitants’ health here, yet they don’t care. The prevalence of malaria is high among individuals. This is a result of the mosquitoes’ breeding grounds, stagnant water.
Dr. Chidinma Therese Odaghara, an environmentalist, responded to the news by saying that communities and the government both have a significant role to play in containing the problem. Flooding in Nigeria is mostly caused by humans. There are already laws in place for the government. For instance, Abuja is subject to the urban and regional planning Act. Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies should rigorously execute and enforce it. Residents should avoid unscrupulous tactics such paying remuneration to town planners, surveyors, and other authorities to allow the use of property without permission and change of approved development plans.
We have a system in place for trash management services, thus I don’t believe that garbage is being effectively managed in the Federal Capital Territory, according to Benjamin Enwerem, Director Solid Waste Management, Abuja Environmental Protection Board. Every home, office, organization, and private entity is required to have a garbage disposal or waste collecting container where waste is dumped.
