Why dirt is taking over Abuja – Residents

Over time, Abuja, the nation’s capital territory, which occupied the pride of place as a model city, has lost this status to appearance of heaps of dirt on the streets, especially in the satellite towns. Blueprint spoke with residents, some of whom, placed the blame at the doorstep of the FCT administration as well as the area councils. Excerpts:

Amina Baba I think the administration in the FCT is overwhelmed when it comes to sanitation. Th ough I must say that the situation started deteriorating after the elRufai’ administration. You would never fi nd the kind of dirt we fi nd on the streets then. Now, we not only have heaps of dirt on the streets, even in supposed posh areas like Wuse 11 and Maitama, you fi nd lunatics and herdsmen driving their cattle up to the Presidential Villa gate without interference. You fi nd dirty water running down the streets from blocked drainages, that the administration would not be attended to, exposing residents to epidemic.

Th e satellite towns are an entirely diff erent story all together. As far as I’m concerned, this administration is not doing anything. Th ey appear to be more concerned about hawkers, who are trying to earn a living. You see them chasing them all over the place. Tyavzua Saanyol E n v i r o n m e n t a l condition in FCT is poor, especially in the satellite areas which are supposed to be the responsibility of area councils.

It’s quite pathetic when you visit areas like Kurudu and Jikwoyi, where refuse is dumped in the middle of the road. You begin to wonder what people voted into offi ces at the area councils are doing. It takes a number of days and even weeks sometimes before waste is evacuated. In most areas, there are no waste bins so the method of disposing waste is by dumping it on the street and burning it when it accumulates, causing air pollution which is detrimental to the health. I think the area councils need to wake up from their slumber and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board has to also wake up to its duties. Douglas Ayegba Since the beginning of this administration, I noticed that the sanitary condition of the FCT has improved tremendously.

I speak based on the condition of the area where I stay. For instance, years back when you pass through Over time, Abuja, the nation’s capital territory, which occupied the pride of place as a model city, has lost this status to appearance of heaps of dirt on the streets, especially in the satellite towns. Blueprint spoke with residents, some of whom, placed the blame at the doorstep of the FCT administration as well as the area councils.

Excerpts: Karu especially towards the market area, the odour that comes from the refuse dump was very terrible. But since this administration came on board, they have been removing the waste from the road so the odour has reduced. However, we still have to dispose our waste through the ‘mai shara’ who come to pick it from the house and take it to where AEPB will do the fi nal disposal. Biola Meseke In my own opinion, I wouldn’t say Abuja is completely dirty; I will say it is fairly clean.

I think the FCT administration is trying its best to ensure that Abuja is not a dirty place. Sometimes when you drive around the city area you see those women sweeping the road, clearing stuff that need to be removed from the street. Compared to other places like Lagos and Ibadan, I will say Abuja is trying. I use refuse bin and when they are fi lled, I dispose them by paying some boys to do so. Jacob Shaibu Th e careless attitude of residents towards environmental issues in their immediate environment is the reason for poor sanitation culture in the capital city. You fi nd that various residential houses have waste bins but you will still see people dumping their waste on the ground, leaving the container empty.

Government should intensify enlightenment of residents on sanitation through the media so that when people hear about the dangers of poor sanitation, they would be motivated to stay clean. Government should also be proactive in disposing waste containers on time rather than leaving it for scavengers to ransack and litter the ground with dirt.

Th is is the situation on the Nyanya-Mararaba axis where for weeks you will see containers fi lled with waste thereby causing health problems to residents. Mercy Idoko Th ere are places in the FCT that are very clean, however, yet there are other places that are very disgusting. Th e central area and other high-brow areas are very clean but the satellite towns are very dirty.

I think government should reposition and focus on the satellite towns. I dispose my waste in a waste bin. When it is fi lled some ‘mai bolas’ come to collect them and fi nally dispose, though I don’t know where. Hauwa Abdullahi Sanitary condition in Abuja is very poor. When you come to Kubwa, you will fi nd out that the main road is like a refuse dump. Everywhere is so dirty.

Th e drainage is being used as refuse dump. At times, one fi nds it diffi cult to breathe when passing by. I think one of the causes of the dirt of the road is the fact that the ‘mai shara’ boys who collect waste from people’s houses do dump them at the road causing environmental pollution. Ordinarily, these boys should not have any business with refuse disposal, however, most residents patronise them because government agencies that are supposed to dispose the waste are not doing their job. I dispose my dirt by gathering it into a waste bin and at the end of the day, the mai shara come and pick them up for a fee.

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