Epidemic Imminent As Indiscriminate Dumping Of Refuse Grows

By Sikiru Obarayese

Unsettled discord between the state government of Osun and the Private Sector Partnership (PSP) operators has resulted to indiscriminate dumping of refuse by the people, a development that can lead to outbreak of epidemic.

Such practice had been noticed in some parts of Osogbo, the state capital, part of Ede and Ife as well as some other major towns of the state.

Check shows that some illegal dumping sites at Ede, Eleweran in Ife, Ikire, Elelede area, Tanisi, Oleyo in Osogbo and some other places  growing rapidly with some residents of the state alleging that inadequacy of Osun Waste Management Agency (OWMA) operation resulted to the development.

Residents dwelling close to some of the dumping sites have also been complaining about the stink coming out of the area which they can no longer bear as it is endangering their health.

A resident of Oluode area Osogbo, who simply identified himself as Ojo lamented the refusal of waste workers to pick waste as and when due, which makes the people to go back to illegal sites.

“The PSP operators don’t cover some areas which makes the residents to find another means to dispose their waste. I think this is what may lead to the latest development.”

It was also gathered that some of the PSP’s agent do not use the truck allocated to them by government which can dispose waste without littering the road while they are moving unlike open trucks they are using.

In response to these allegations, Osun State Waste Management Agency (OWMA), blamed the Private Sector Partnership (PSP) for the voutrage of refuse in the state, claming that they were sabotaging government efforts to ensure clean environment.

The agency also condemned the attitude of the people, blaming  them for violating the law.

The General Manager of OWMA, Alhaji Ganiyu Oyeladun described the PSP operators as cankerworm, saying they destroy government plan for the entire tenure.

He said the government had planned to recruit another set of PSP operators if the current ones had paid their remaining balance of the N1million government requested from them, saying, “they dragged us to court, because we asked them to pay for the truck they use”

Oyeladun added that the private sectors decided not to balance the government which later resorted to discord between them and the government.

A medical practitioner, Mrs Mujidat Asafa said, unclean area can cause series of diseases, affirming that the state government had succeeded in preventing any seasonal diseases which has struck its neighbouring states.