Residential areas within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, are gradually becoming uninhabitable due to refuse dumps.
Journalist took a tour of some places such as Karu Site, Jikwoyi, Kurudu, Kubwa, Gwarinpa, Utako and other places under Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, and discovered not just the indiscriminate dumping of refuse by residents and cart pushers, popularly known as ‘Baban Bola,’ but also lack of activities by government and its agencies keeping the FCT environment clean.
For instance, residents indiscriminately dump water sachets, used cans, and other garbage across the city centre.
Journalist sighted “mountains” of refuse heaps that have been unattended to for several weeks in those areas.
The refuse heaps are growing everyday beyond the available spaces and in some places, cover part of the roads.
This could, no doubt, have a devastating effect on the health and livelihood of the residents of those areas.
It ought to be the primary responsibility of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Administration, through the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, and the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, to attend to the growing refuse heaps.
Improper garbage disposal, according to environment experts, poses significant threats to both human health and the environment.
It could bring about vector-borne diseases, air pollution, water contamination and could also create food safety risks, especially when it is done near agricultural areas as it attracts pests.
resident of Utako (behind Yoruba Mosque) Beatrice Nwaneka, journalist that contractors assigned to empty waste bins in the area do not show up as often as they should.
According to her, “I moved in here around April last year and since then, what I’ve discovered about this place is that this waste bin here is a problem.
“The stench fills the whole place and it can be like this for so long, sometimes for weeks before they will come with their truck. Now you can see for yourself how this place is.”