The residents of Ogunshi-Sabo, Ojokoro, Igbeyinadun Street, Eyita, Igbe, Sakajojo and Itunmoja communities in Ikorodu division have decried the indiscriminate disposal of refuse in their areas, which has precipitated environmental pollution.
This concern was raised recently when some residents spoke with Oriwu Sun. While condemning the attitudes of both the residents and passersby, who engage in indiscriminate waste disposal, they also said that the inefficiency of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and their inability to collect waste on regular basis contributed to the mountain of refuse being witnessed in their area. They said the outcomes of such acts include offensive odour pervading the environment and other health hazards.
Mrs. Toyin Omole, a passerby, while reacting to the heaps of refuse on Ogunshi road, said the carelessness of those making use of the road was responsible for the situation. She ended up blaming the government for not monitoring the road users. She pleaded with the government to intervene and save the situation.
Another resident of Ogunshi Street, Mr. Olawale Ifayemi, a medical doctor, explained that the indiscriminate disposal of refuse in the area was due to lack of proper supervision by the government and urged them to take the lives of the citizens seriously by acting promptly. He also stated that the implication of the accumulating refuse was the excessive breeding of the agents of diseases such as rats, flies, and mosquitoes, which are infamous for transmitting dangerous diseases such as lassa fever, monkey pox, ebola, malaria and cholera. According to him, apart from causing infectious diseases, indiscriminate refuse disposal could result in contamination and poisoning of water sources such as borehole in the area.
In his own reaction, Mr. Jefrey Ukechukwu, a resident of Ojokoro in Eyita area of Ikorodu, said people dumping waste unlawfully without minding the consequence of such action on their fellow residents and the environment was callous. He urged residents to pay their waste bills promptly to enable LAWMA staff to operate in the area as part of the cause was unpaid bills.
Another resident, Mr. Ogu Christian, frowned at residents who dump their wastes in bushes, walkways and gutters, especially during rainy season, despite State Government’s efforts in trying to ensure safe and clean environment. He also condemned the act of burning refuse dumps by some residents, which when inhaled, becomes toxic to the body. Mr. Jefrey advised the residents to dispose their wastes at designated places, where LAWMA officials could pick them for proper disposal. A resident of Igbeyin-Adun Street, Eyita, said the residents are daily exposed to several diseases and offensive odour from refuse dumps littered all over the place. Mathew Yomi, who is a student of Lagos State Polytechnic, said his own health was being threatened because of such act.
In Igbe community, Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the residents accused the state government of converting some of the lands in the area to dump sites while the rightful owners were forced to surrender the property. They also attributed the deplorable state of their roads to the high number of heavy duty vehicles that deliver refuse to the dumpsite on daily basis.
A resident of the area, Mr. Ajayi Fatola, condemned the government and LAWMA officials for their nonchalant attitude to the plight of the residents due to the location of the dumpsite in the area. He urged them to urgently address the problems and sufferings and relocate the dumpsite far from the residential areas. Mr. Sunday Emoporie, another resident, urged the State Government to construct a fence round the dumpsite to lessen the impact of the offensive odour and also demarcate the dumpsite from the residential area.
In a related development, residents of Saka Jojo area of Odogunyan have also berated the government for the act of improper disposal of waste in their community and called for urgent action from relevant authority.
A fashion designer in the area, Mrs. Abimbola Adebanjo, stated that whenever it rains, some residents dump their waste in the gutter, which rain flood later wash to their door step. She said this persistent act had already started affecting her business. She urged the government to outlaw indiscriminate disposal of wastes. A shop owner, Mr. Olaoye Mohammed, had blamed the act on the failure of the State Government to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of its agency (LAWMA), which is responsible for the collection of the wastes.
Some residents of Itunlubajo Street along Itunmoja road, Ikorodu, who did not want their names on print, have raised concerns over the unpleasant odour, which have pervaded the community due to the presence of heavy refuse dumps, leading to the outbreak of malaria and other diseases in the area. They also condemned residents, who dump their faeces along with other solid wastes inside drainage systems. The residents called on the government to urgently help in preventing epidemics in the area by arresting perpetrators of these acts. They also requested that every homes in the area should be made to have a standard toilet facility to stop the act of dumping faeces with the waste.
Meanwhile, the residents of Itunpate (near Ajayi Hospital) have been lamenting the improper disposal of refuse in a canal, which is too close to their residence. Tobi Animashaun, a resident of the area, explained to Oriwu Sun that the entire area stinks due to the odour emanating from the deposits of loads of waste in the canal by some unknown residents. According to him, such acts have become a daily nightmare. He urged the government to draft officials of LAWMA to the area to help in collecting refuse to prevent using the canal as a dump site.
Falilat Ojudun, another resident in the area, said that they hardly stay outside their house to enjoy fresh air at night for fear of mosquito bites, which have turned the canal into their abode. She urged the government to help in prosecuting offenders. Falilat also advised residents to deposit their wastes at the designated points, where LAWMA officials could pick them.