That Ogun State can favourably compete for the dirtiest capital of Nigeria is no more in doubt considering the rate of neglect on environmental sanitation in major cities and towns of the State.

Since the outset of the present administration in Ogun State, one particular area the government has arguably failed is in the area of waste and refuse management.

From Abeokuta, to Sagamu, Ijebu Ode, Ota, Sango, etc, major roads have become dump sites with refuse greeting visitors to all these major cities.

Preliminary investigation by HorizonTimes revealed that the administration had issues on lack of proper management with the Saje community, the host community of the government dump site in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

It was gathered that instead of addressing the concerns of the community, the government opted to redirect waste managers working with the Ogun State Waste Management Authority, OGWAMA, to another dump site in Iperu Remo in Ogun East.

It was further gathered that the highway operators, by the decision of government, are facing herculean task in waste management because of the failure of government to review the payment plan for the operators considering the long distance they have to cover to dispose the wastes.

HorizonTimes gathered that each highway operator with a Compactor, receives N30, 000 per trip which is insufficient for the operation of the mangers.

It was further gathered that a trip within a particular highway and a trip from Abeokuta to the new dump site in Iperu cost each of the operators with a compactor about N29, 000 to fuel the trucks, considering the high cost of diesel in the Country.

This is not talk about maintaining the workforce and profit.

For the PSPs or what is simply called the home-to-house managers, the story is also the same.

Most of the PSPs use Open Truck to pack waste, and it cost between N18, 000 to N24, 000 for each operator to work within his jurisdiction and transport the same waste to Iperu dump site.

Unlike the highway operators, the PSPs doesn’t receive payment from government, they work on the basis of what they make from the customers. Most of the residential buildings pay N2,000 per month to the PSP operators.

What is however common to both the PSPs and the highway operators is the payment of bridging by the government. HorizonTimes gathered that a Compactor is billed to receive N15, 000, while an Open Truck receives N7, 500 per trip.

According to a report by an Operator who craved anonymity, apart from the fact that the bridging is not enough for the operations of the managers, the government has failed to pay in the last eight months.

HorizonTimes went round Abeokuta on Monday and Tuesday, at around noon to review the situation, sadly, the major highways were still covered with refuse.

This newspaper went out again on Wednesday at noon, the refuse still adorned the areas visited, the same was they were on Monday and Tuesday.

At Brewery-Lafenwa road, the case was worse as residents revealed that the mangers have not been to the area in the last one month. 

Enjoy the pictures below:

- Beside Late Pa Ogunpola building, Quarry Road, Abeokuta

- Opposite Gateway Secondary School, Quarry Road, Abeokuta

- Opposite Owu Baptist School, Quarry Road, Abeokuta

- Opposite Guilding Light Baptist Church, Ita-Eko, Abeokuta

 

- Obasanjo Way, Ita-Eko, Abeokuta.

 

- Beside FoodCo, Akin Olugbade Social Center, Abeokuta

- Abeokuta North APC Secretariat, Sokori Roundabout, Abeokuta

 

- Beside Owu Baptist Church, Totoro, Abeokuta.

- Ori Omi, Sokori Roundabout, Abeokuta

 

- Opposite Awareness Newspaper Office, Sokori, Abeokuta.

 

NOTE:

i. Watch out for further reports on this topic especially on the state of things in other areas of the State.

ii. Readers outside Abeokuat especially, are encouraged to report the situation of things in their localities through WhatssApp messages on 08153545555, Please note that good pictures with location attached is the only guarantee for publication.