By SAMUEL OYADONGHA

YENAGOA—THE Environmental Rights Action, ERA, Bayelsa State, has urged the State Government situate receptacles from school surroundings saying the current scenario in the state was inexcusable and does not set a good example to children as regards hygiene.

Head of ERA in the state, Mr. Moses Alagoa, who blamed indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the state capital on government and residents, said, “Sadly too, sometimes, residents also failed to properly dispose their refuse even when the receptacles were relatively empty. They prefer dropping their refuse outside the receptacles; by the side of the road.”

Refuse dumps located everywhere, anyhow

Alagoa said, “One other observation is the inconsistency and lack of political will in matching government pronouncements with action. The state government had pronounced in the past that neither markets nor refuse dumps should be located close to schools, but what is on ground at Kpansia and Opolo schools proved the statements ineffective; as the refuse dumps formed landmark feature in this environment till date.”

He said that ERA field monitors observed that most of the refuse receptacles were sited around public schools even where there are no refuse receptacles, adding, “This is the case at Edepie, Opolo, Biogbolo, Kpansia, Okaka, Onopa etc. and at street junctions, as is the case at Green Villa junction, Road Safety junction, Hospital junction, along Chief Melford Okilo Road.

“Bridge heads are not spared; as most of the natural drainage system presents another site for some residents to dispose their refuse. At a point the refuse were competing with cars and pedestrians on the roads; as pedestrian walks were taken over in some areas,” he said.

Demand

His words: “Residents of the state capital and visitors should help themselves to a healthy environment by disposing refuse properly and at designated sites; not on drainages and unauthorized spots. “Besides refuse receptacles; refuse bins should be procured and properly distributed in the city; not just on major roads; but on lanes and streets too. Alagoa further advised: “Refuse should be cleared from the receptacles on daily basis and, not only should contractors be engaged and contractual obligations respected; the staff of the State Sanitation Authority should take this as top priority in their mandate.

“The state government should consider the introduction of sanitary inspectors to effectively monitor the city, especially streets and; not necessarily entering into people rooms and parlor. This is with a view to encouraging proper environmental practices and support neighbors, who have been suffering from the negative practices of others.

The environmentalist said, “Government and the civil society should give the required attention to this issue and step up enlightenment campaigns to educate residents on proper refuse disposal habits.”

Poor funding of refuse contractors

Meanwhile, the state government, penultimate week, commenced evacuation of the heaps of refuse along the major roads of the state capital. Investigation showed that before now, the state Sanitation Authority stipulated a time limit of 6.00 am for residents to drop refuse at the receptacles on daily basis and it is an offence for anyone to do so during the day. Offenders, including children were arrested, while refuse disposal contractors were also mandated to ensure clearing the receptacles of refuse in the dead of night.

The arrangement and management worked relatively fine, as the refuse receptacles were practically empty during the day and refuse disposal trucks sighted only at  night. However, the scenario changed due to alleged poor funding of the contractors in the wake of the short fall in the state allocation just as attention shifted to the just concluded governorship poll.