Some residents of Gwagwalada council in Abuja have expressed concern over the growing heaps of refuse on the Zuba-Gwagwalada expressway.

They said indiscriminate dumping of waste on major roads without regular evaluation can pose serious environmental and health dangers in the area.

The residents made the appeal in separate interviews in Gwagwalada. They advised that designated waste collection sites should be provided within the district where residents could dump waste for proper evacuation to the designated dump sites.

According to them, indiscriminate dumping of refuse across the council, even on major roads, is unhealthy.

A resident, Femi Ayoola, said the Gwagwalada-Zuba expressway was a major concern.

According to him, the lack of proper waste collection sites has forced many residents to dump waste indiscriminately without any punishment.

“If there is a proper waste management culture and law, it will help to enforce proper waste management law and punish those who go against it.

“You see people carry their waste and dump it in the drainage and on the road without fear. You cannot punish them because no place(s) were provided for them,” he said.

Mr Ayoola said residents should also learn to properly manage their waste.

Chidimma Ukoji, a resident of Dagiri, said that the lack of designated dump sites and the irregular evacuation of waste by relevant authorities had contributed to waste being dumped on roads and waterways.

According to Ms Ukoji, some residents do not have waste bins in their respective homes. They always tie their waste in a nylon bag and dispose of it however they like.

She stressed the need to proffer lasting solutions to the indiscriminate dumping of waste in Gwagwalada, especially given the area’s growing population.

People’s attitudes towards waste management are a major concern for improving how waste is disposed of. Some people do not care how they dispose of their waste.

“Very soon, the rainy season will start, and all this waste on the road will find its way into the gutters and drainage, which in turn might cause flooding and even an outbreak of disease. There is a need for residents to try and do the right things to prevent these environmental challenges,” she said.

Ms Ukoji also called on the government to revive the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, saying this would help to keep the environment clean.

Another resident, Sarah Agboola, described the trend of indiscriminate refuse dumping as an eyesore that requires urgent attention.

Ms Agboola appealed to the Gwagwalada council to improve waste collection, provide disposal facilities, and enforce sanitation laws. She advised community leaders to adopt responsible waste practices in their areas in order to improve environmental cleanliness and safeguard public health.

Another resident, Bello Usman, urged the council to fulfil its responsibilities and employ waste management contractors who would visit households on a stipulated date to collect waste.

He said this would help discourage the activities of ‘baban bola’, who go to houses, collect these wastes, and dump them indiscriminately.

Juliet Ajakaye said that effective waste management remains critical to achieving a clean and healthy environment in the council.

Ms Ajakaye stressed the need for continued awareness campaigns against indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which she said was one of the causes of flooding in the area.

(NAN)