- says waste disposal an eyesore
Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde on Monday declared a State of Emergency on refuse collection and waste management in the state.
The Governor, who was speaking at an extraordinary meeting held inside the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan, said that waste management has become a matter of emergency which he said is the business of all political appointees, the Permanent Secretaries and the workforce.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted Makinde as saying that poor waste management could have wider implications on the state of health of individuals in the state, adding that if care was not taken, the health situation of people in the state may worsen.
He said: “I am sure that most of you must have gone
through our state and have noticed that as far as our solid waste management is
concerned, we are all living in the midst of filth basically. I have listened
to the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Chairman of the Solid Waste
Management Authority and I am not satisfied with what I have got.
“Apart from these wastes being an eyesore, it also has wider implications
as far as health is concerned, because when you have a filthy environment, all
kinds of health challenges will come in. So, what has to be done is, we need to
declare an emergency on our solid waste management. So, it is a big issue for
all of us and we have to take the bull by the horn. We have to take leadership.
“What I have asked to be done is to, first of all, mobilize all resources
possible and we will all be out this evening (Monday evening) to do the cleanup
and supervise it. We will close early today and at 8’O clock, we are going to
Mapo Hall. We have trucks and have mobilized workers and we will take off.”
He stated that he had last participated in such an emergency as the Head Boy of his Secondary School, Bishop Phillips Academy, Ibadan, adding that he never thought he could be leading another emergency as Governor.
He warned that no one should misconstrue the exercise for showmanship, adding that a serious issue like waste disposal has to be taken with all seriousness.
He also stated that some elements within the state have specialised in littering the streets with refuse, adding that the state government would stop at nothing to overcome their antics.