Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Government has set September 30, as the official date to outlaw dumping of refuse and other waste materials on the road and along the streets of the state.
The law, Ikengaonline learnt, was to ensure that Anambra State becomes one of the cleanest in the country, by December this year.
The resolution was made during an interaction between the board of Anambra State Waste Management Authority, ASWAMA, acting chairmen and environmental health officers from all the twenty one local government areas of the state.
The meeting, according to the board chairman, Dr Emma Ezenwaji, is to keep them abreast of the task before the board and other stakeholders.
Dr Ezenwaji solicited their support and cooperation towards ensuring that the thirty one contractors already engaged by the government towards achieving the goal of taking refuse off the streets deliver on their mandate.
“There are 31 contractors engaged for waste evacuation across all the state constituencies. Local Government and ward waste management committees will soon be inaugurated. We need you to keep them on their toes.
“We will give you the list of the contractors and their contacts. Please keep us informed of what goes on in your jurisdictions.”
Contributing, the MD ASWAMA, Mike Ozoemena, explained that after street dumping is abolished by September ending, house to house collection of refuse will be activated.
“The current dirty state of our environment is not acceptable and we must do something about it.
“We will distribute bags for waste collection while individuals, households and corporate bodies will be required to pay sanitation levies. We cannot do all these without your assistance. All hands must be on deck” he pleaded.
In a remark, a board member, representing the civil society, Prince Chris Azor, acknowledged that the acting chairmen and environmental health officers are critical to the vision of ridding the state of refuse.
“We call for partnership. Take this message to the hinterlands. Help us with sensitization and awareness creation.
“To ensure the success of this Saturday’s environmental sanitation, the meeting resolved to reach out to the presidents-general and women leaders to help mobilize their people for the exercise.
“They will also be needed to create awareness about the initiatives of the present administration.”
