Refuse dump. PHOTO: ITUNU AJAYI
To avert looming environmental and health hazards in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, a Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Ubaezue Ugochukwu Egereonu, has advised the state government to prioritise evacuation of wastes within the city.
Egereonu, who is a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, (FUTO) Owerri, gave this admonition during a lecture on the “Analytical Assessment of Atmospheric Residual Aerosol in the Environment’’, at the 31st inaugural lecture of the institution held at FUTO’s Hall of Excellence.
He urged the state’s agencies saddled with the responsibility of environmental management to immediately carry out their duties and clean up Owerri.In his 56- page presentation, he emphasized the need for government and the residents to pay attention to management of urban solid waste, physicochemical data of rain water in various states, the troposphere, stratosphere, exosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, gas flaring, acid resin and its effect. He added that people must also be conscious of volcanic eruption, soil degradation and the effect of environmental pollution among others.
‘’Owerri is too dirty with littered wastes at many places. The city used to be clean. But it is not like that anymore. The agencies such as ISEPA and ENTRACO should do their job and start keeping the city clean to prevent epidemic of diseases.’’ he advised.
He urged management of FUTO to harness potentials of the Otamiri River located in the institution, to build a hydroelectric power as seen in institution like the University of Ilorin. He proposed that a pilot laboratory should be put in place at the Chemistry department for the production of soap, detergent, cosmetics, paints, water treatment among others, to help students establish their own business as they graduate from the school.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. Francis Eze said the inaugural lecture series has become a regular academic exercise, which is beneficial to all and advised that it should be maximized for growth and development.
In a related development, to curtail the devastating effects of flooding in Asaba, the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA) has announced plan to kickoff a door -to- door waste management sensitisation programme for residents.
The state government has therefore said residents of unclean premises will be prosecuted in accordance with existing sanitation laws.DSCTDA, Head of Environment and Water, Isaac Nwosu disclosed this said in line with the agency’s mandate, premium focus is being redirected to marking out silted drainages and evacuating them.
Nwosu said the agency is aware that waste management is pivotal to effective flood control and have found out that the cause of the problem is largely due to attitudinal dynamics to waste disposal and management among residents.
“We have come to realize that the attitude of indiscriminate disposal is something embedded in the psyche of the people. So as an agency, saddled with managing the Capital Territory, we have planned to take off a public sensitization and effective door- to- door sensitization of residents of the Capital Territory. The State Government has made available waste bins with 50 per cent of the cost price covered by the State Government. It’s an offence not to own waste bins and non-payment for waste bill. Once enforcement of these laws commences, recalcitrance will certainly be reduced”, he said.
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