Indiscriminate Refuse Dumping –Trading With A Lethal Poison

By Igbafen Favour, Muato Philip, Bamidele Olamide & Olukutan Oyindamola

Indiscriminate refuse dumping, sadly, is but a common practice in Lagos and Ogun States, a lethal poison that has also become a subject for blames trading.

In the case of Lagos state for example, much of such refuse is from solid wastes from industrial chemicals containing radioactive substances.

Many people living around the dump locations appear to be ignorant of the harmful effects, aside the offensive odors, and the untidy environment that it breeds.

It is indeed common sight to see families and individual living by dump sites, over time becoming more vulnerable to the health hazards.

Some blame who blame it on poor waste management practices, poor town planning, and congestion, add that the refuse accumulates and blocks water ways and gutters for mosquitos to breed.

A resident of the Powerlien area of Oke Ira in Ogba, Lagos,.Mrs uloma Anyawu, popularly referred to as Mama Emeka agrees that indiscriminate refuse dumping was a big issue, adding: “I have been living in this area for over 10 years now and ever since, Private Sector Participation (PSP) has not for once come to pack the dirty and there is no way we can stop people from diposing waste bins here because all attempts in the past always ends up in argument or fight.”

LAWMA workers on duty

“This dumpsite is something the residents cannot handle all by themselves and our governments are not performing their duties as expected”.

Her view that she could not remember the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) visiting the area for once runs wide, but responding privately, a LAWMA worker at Ogba, Mrs. Owoyemi Abosede, absolved the authority of blame.

“It is not the fault we the LAWMA workers.

“We are not the cause of indecent dropping of refuse that litters the streets and turn the community to a swine’s abode rather the shop owners.

“Even when we come early in the morning to clean the area, the whole place is littered again within a short while”, informing that their cleaning areas from Area G Police station down to Excellence Hostel.

READ ALSO: Undesirable Presence Of Refuse Dumps Along Ilogbo Road

“I don’t know why they do that but they are the ones that make our work and efforts worthless, even prompting other residents in Lagos to rain insulting words on us. We have reported this issue to our boss, but they are yet to find lasting solutions to our daily complaints”

Roadside traders: Accused of indiscrimate disposal of wastes

The outcome of indiscriminate refuse dumping, especially solid wastes exposes people to hazards from flooding, drainage hiccups, mosquito infestation and diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid fever, health officials say.

Incidentally, the problem of indiscriminate refuse dumping speads to neighbourhoods that bother Lagos on different flank, Denro and Olambe being examples.

A business owner at Denro, Mrs Isoken Ayemere agrees:,”It has been a tough test for my business here, coming everyday and seeing refuse getting higher and spreading all over the place.

“It has affected my business (fried yam, potatoes and Bean cake’akara’) so bad that I couldn’t fry much as I used to.

READ ALSO: Where Lagos Is Farther Away From God …LAWMA On The Dock

“The bad smell coming from the refuse dump, especially when it rains, chases my customers”, she added, informing that people come from different locations to dump their refuses.

In the absence of government provisions, most resident of Olambe, also close to Lagos, pay through their nose to dispose.

At THREECO estate, a newly developing area for example, a resident who simply identified himself as Saheed said: “We cannot talk about government bringing refuse trucks here when ordinary water and road they have not provided it”.