Ogun community frustrated over dumping and worried about rising cholera cases

Amid the recent spike in cholera cases in Ogun State, some residents along quarry roads in Abeokuta South Local Government Area have expressed concern over indiscriminate dumping of garbage on roads.

Residents who spoke to Punch Metro on Monday feared that the number of cholera cases could rise sharply unless care is taken to curb indiscriminate dumping of garbage.

Our correspondent who visited the long stretch of road that connects some communities with the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway said that in some parts of the road, garbage was dumped on the median strip, and piles of garbage could be seen in front of the road. It pointed out. A land of ruined buildings.

Residents say the dump site not only poses health problems but could also contribute to the increase in cholera cases currently being confirmed in some parts of the state.

Mr. Akinde Raman, a resident, noted that garbage can be a breeding ground for the spread of diseases, especially cholera, where cases of cholera have been recorded in Ogun State.

“Dumping refuse on the road is improper but you know when there is no alternative for people to drop their refuse, we will have a situation like this. The problem associated with this is enormous; aside from causing odour to the environment, the recent outbreak in cholera recorded in Ogun can get to a high degree with a situation like this,” he volunteered.

Another resident, Wale Shoneye, blamed the irregular evacuation of refuse in the community by the waste management agency as responsible for the indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

management people do not often come to pick up refuse regularly. Sometimes, they will come once in a month and sometimes, you may not see them in the community for two months.”

A resident along the road, Esther Thomas, appealed to the Ogun State Government to provide a suitable waste bin where refuse could be dumped so as to deter those dumping refuse on the road from doing so.

“As you can see, we don’t have trash cans here. I think that’s why people throw trash on the street.” If the government could provide trash bins somewhere in the area, people would stop throwing trash. I’ll stop. Spokesperson of the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, Rotimi Oduniyi, blamed the inaction of residents to dump their garbage in designated areas where garbage bins are kept as the reason for resorting to dumpsters. on the road. He noted that efforts were being made to remove garbage from the streets.

He said, “It’s not the government that throws garbage there. It’s our people who throw garbage there. It’s because they are lazy.” We throw garbage in Panseke. Many people have designated areas where they can throw away their trash. Some of them are too lazy to go there.

“Efforts are being made to remove garbage because the government does not leave it behind.Also, most of the PSPs that we use are private companies and people are discouraged from bringing their PSPs. Complaints have been received.