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PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013
Addressing refuse disposal problems in FCT area councils By Uche Bibilari, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
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he committee on “Clean and Green Greater Abuja Initiative’’ was set up to fast-track the environmental cleanliness of the area councils and satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). FCT Minister of State Olajumoke Akinjide, who spoke during the inauguration of the committee on Aug. 23, 2012 stressed that the FCT Administration (FCTA) would not tolerate filthy environment in the area councils. “I want us to mark today as the day when we begin to change and transform the minds of people who live in Abuja to know that we will no longer tolerate filth in the city,” she said. Akinjide listed the committee’s terms of reference to include: cleaning up the satellite towns and highways, building sustainable enforcement strategies in the satellite towns, greening the satellite towns through designed tree planting and vegetation control strategies. She pledged that the FCTA would assist the area councils to remove wastes in satellite towns and regional road corridors. The minister noted that Abuja city centre was largely free of refuse, pledging that the FCTA would ensure cleanliness in the FCT and its six area councils. “We want the satellite towns and the area councils to ensure that the same standard of cleanliness and waste management which we have in the FCT is extended to the area councils,” she said. Akinjide said that the FCTA had taken over the cleaning of the satellite towns and the regional road corridors that were made up of Gwagwalada, Bwari, Nyanya and Kubwa. “We will clean all the dirt; accumulated wastes will be cleared and taken to properly identified dumpsites, while the dumpsites will be properly managed,” she added. The minister also said that every area council would have a dumpsite so as to avoid a situation where wastes were simply transferred from one area council to another. Akinjide, however, stressed that the project was not a city initiative, adding that it was particularly designed to bring about the cleaning of the area councils, as part of efforts to tackle the problem of accumulated filth in a holistic way. The minister stressed that
FCT Minister of State, Olajumoke Akinjide the FCT would use schools, community leaders, union leaders and the media as conduits to educate the residents on the importance of living in a clean environment. “Our goal of attracting investment as well as making Abuja a global tourism destination will remain a lipservice if our intentions are not matched with a culture of cleanliness, conservation and greening,” she added Akinjide said that in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda, the FCTA was determined to confront all the challenges militating against of the cleanliness of the environment. Besides, as part of efforts to improve the
environmental sanitation of satellite towns, the FCTA established the “Village Community Sanitation’’ programme.
The minister said that the main aim of the programme was to educate the community on the need to imbibe good sanitation habits as part of their everyday culture. “The aim is to teach and show the community good sanitation practices that should be imbibed as part of their everyday culture,” Akinjide said. Going from the general to the specifics, the Satellite Town Development Agency (STDA) recently embarked on massive evacuation of wastes in the satellite towns, as part of the Clean and Green Greater Abuja Initiative. Alhaji Tukur Bakori, the Director of STDA, who spoke during the simultaneous evacuation of refuse heaps at Nyanya, Karu and Kubwa, said that those who violated the extant sanitation laws would be prosecuted. He, nonetheless, stressed that the clearing of refuse was the responsibility of the area councils, warning that the FCTA would start charging the councils for not doing what they ought to do. “They have this provision in their votes, we will start charging them fees whenever we intervene to clean up the satellite towns,” Bakori said. The Head of Information and Outreach Programme of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB),Mr Joe Ukairo underscored the commitment of the board to ensure the cleanliness of the FCT. He said that as part of the
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In those transfer stations, there will be a mini sorting plant whereby wastes, such as bottles, plastics and papers will be sorted out for recycling; what finally gets to the dumpsite may not be bulky
strategies put in place to achieve this goal, the board would establish environmental sanitation clubs in secondary schools across the FCT. Ukario said that the project would involve both public and private schools, adding that it was particularly aimed at promoting the culture of clean environment, environmental health and basic hygiene among the students. “We discovered that we need to develop the society from childhood; the culture of clean environment should be inculcated in our children’s lives, right from the kindergarten to the high school. “Our children need to be exposed to the importance of a healthy environment, environmental management and basic hygienic principles,” he said. Besides, Ukairo said that the board planned to build three waste transfer stations in different parts of the territory to facilitate evacuation of wastes. He said that the transfer stations would serve as temporary dumpsites for waste disposal contractors. Ukairo further explained that in the transfer stations, there would be a mini-waste sorting plant where wastes, such as bottles and plastics, would be sorted out for recycling. “In those transfer stations, there will be a mini sorting plant whereby wastes, such as bottles, plastics and papers will be sorted out for recycling; what finally gets to the dumpsite may not be bulky,” Ukairo said. The assurances notwithstanding, the residents of satellite towns want the FCTA to prevail on the chairmen of the area councils to put in place measures that will facilitate effective refuse disposal. They also note that the dearth of well-coordinated waste management activities is largely responsible for the dumping of refuse in waterways.
Civil Servant, 41, arraigned for joint act and cheating
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he Police have arraigned one Adamu Mohammed, civil servant, 41 of Mararaba Wazobia Zone B, No 6 Nasarawa state and Salisu Wasa of Maraba now at large before an Upper Area Court in Karu for joint act and cheating. Police Prosecutor, Njoku Pascal told the court that on May, 29, 2012, one Mrs. Hamila Olamoyegun of Jukwoyi police station and reported against the accused. Pascal further noted that
two accused collected the sum of one million one hundred and fifty thousand naira (1,150,000) to the complainant and they fraudulently and dishonestly converted the money toothier own use. He said that during police investigation they confessed and three hundred and ninety thousand was recovered from them. They also deposited their vehicles to the police station.
They also wrote an undertaking to pay the remaining money but they did not. He noted that the offence contravene the provision of Sections 79 and 320 of the Penal Code. However the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Acuused counsel, Chukwu Obute said that the alleged offence is bailable quoting section 36 sub 5 and 6 of 1999
constitution. He also said that the accused has promise not to interfere with police investigation and will not jump bail. The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko granted the accused bail with the sum of one million naira and a reasonable surety who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court. He also ordered the police to arrest the second accused person before the next adjourned date.