Abia State Government has officially begun massive local production of receptacles (Public Refuse Collection Buckets) to tackle the menace of indiscriminate refuse dumps in Aba, the commercial hub of the state and Umuahia, the state capital.
New Telegraph reports that Dr Alex Otti’s administration since taking up the leadership position in Abia has been battling with mountainous refuse dumps all over Aba and Umuahia, which led to the declaration of emergency in environmental sanitation.
Reports have it that the mountainous refuse dumps in Aba and Umuahia were a result of non-payment of salaries of staff of the Abia State Environmental Sanitation Agency (ASEPA), but further pieces of evidence available showed that there were not enough receptacles and roll-off trucks for evacuation.
Speaking to journalists who visited the Ministry of Works where the receptacles are being produced, the Managing Director of Onutex Integrated Ventures Nigeria Limited, Engineer Onuoha Okorie, the company in charge of the production said that the project aims to ensure that issues of indiscriminate refuse dumping and evacuation are put to end.
Okorie said that the government specifically have a marching order for strong, quality and durable receptacles and he said that his company is using quality materials to make sure they meet the standards set by the Abia State government.
He said that the government ordered the immediate production of 100 quality receptacles, which according to him, would go a long way to cushion the menace of reckless refuse dumping and evacuation.
“The government said that for a start, we’ll need 100 buckets which will help the state seriously. We started last week and before the end of this week, we must have produced a minimum of 20 receptacles.
“We know our jobs and we’re not joking about this project, because the government too is not joking about it. The government is serious and we’re producing a bucket that will stay outside for a minimum of two years before one can talk of maintenance.
“We went for the best quality and as one who has been in the business and has done something like this before, we’re committed to giving our best, because the government has provided the funds for us to produce the best.
“They said they cannot settle for anything less than the best and they’ve made it possible. I am sure this will bring a serious solution to the issue of refuse in this state because it’ll be located in many strategic centres, especially the market areas.
“The huge numbers that will be produced will end the argument that people dump refuse recklessly because they can’t find a receptacle.”
Okorie, however, said that he is very committed to delivering durable receptacles, but will equally put up a proposal for the maintenance of the receptacles to enable them to receive the needed attention when there is any sign of possible damage.
He stressed that maintenance is necessary and cost-effective as it takes less to maintain the buckets than to allow them to spoil completely and then go for the production of new ones.
