Ondo waste management authority boss charges stakeholders on hygiene

By Kemi Olatunde
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Chairman of the Ondo State Waste Management Authority (OSWMA), Mrs. Yinka Alabi, has urged stakeholders to commit to addressing the challenges of improper waste management to achieve a cleaner and healthier state.
She made this call while delivering her welcome address at a one-day sensitization workshop on the socio-economic implications of indiscriminate waste dumping along highways and road corridors in Akure metropolis on Wednesday.
According to her, improper waste management diminishes the state’s aesthetic appeal, increases the risk of flooding and erosion, and contributes to traffic congestion and accidents, among other issues.
Lamenting the lack of proper waste management infrastructure and practices, she stated that this has led to rampant waste dumping on highways and roads, posing significant environmental, health, and economic risks.
She emphasized the need for stakeholders to adopt proper waste containerization using designated dustbins and trash bags.
She also called for increased awareness and education among citizens, businesses, associations, and institutions on appropriate waste disposal practices, as well as the development and implementation of effective waste management strategies.
Alabi further advocated for effective monitoring of weekly market sanitation in all marketplaces and active participation in the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
She added, “Special and regular clean-up exercises should be embraced, promoted, and executed while collaborating with state government-registered and identified Private Sector Partners (PSPs) to achieve efficient waste collection services.”
Commending the government of Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for prioritizing environmental cleanliness in the state, she warned residents against improper waste handling, which, according to her, could lead to arrests and prosecution.
In his goodwill message, the Administrative Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Olumide Kinga, called for proper waste management measures to keep the state clean and prevent the spread of Lassa fever.
He emphasized the need to clear illegal dumpsites, particularly in Shasha Market and Oke-Aro, to prevent disease outbreaks.
State Chairman of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, San. Funke Babajide, urged residents to change their attitudes toward waste disposal and embrace preventive measures to eliminate diseases from the state.
State Chairman of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Mr. Wahab Olokungboye, encouraged residents to adopt efficient waste packaging for proper evacuation. He also called for better waste management structures across the state.
Iyaloja of NEPA Market, Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Aisida, highlighted the importance of a clean environment and called for the effective evacuation of market waste.
She urged the government to provide more waste trucks to ensure a healthier environment.
In his lecture, Head of the Environmental Health Department at Ondo State College of Health Technology, Akure, San. Abiodun David, spoke on ” Socio-Economic Implications of Indiscriminate Waste Dumping on Highways and Market Areas.”
He defined waste as any discarded, useless, or unwanted material intended for disposal and classified it into non-hazardous, hazardous, electronic, medical, domestic, industrial, biodegradable, construction and demolition, and municipal waste.
David listed various solid waste management methods, including incineration, burning, landfilling, burial, hog feeding, dumping into the sea, and recycling.
Emphasizing the environmental and public health risks associated with waste dumps, he called on the government to enact and enforce waste management policies and regulations, encourage sustainable practices, and increase public awareness campaigns to curb indiscriminate waste disposal in the state.