The Chairman special taskforce on emergency evacuation of refuse in Abia State, Mr Ogbonnia Okereke, has disclosed the state has only four ‘ fairly manageable’ compactor trucks for evacuation of wastes.
Three of the trucks were stationed in Aba while “one which usually breaks down is in Umuahia”, Ogbonnia told newsmen as a press briefing on Friday in Umuahia.
Ogbonnia noted that at least 20 compactor trucks for effective evacuation of refuse is needed in the state, expressing concern over the shortage of waste management equipment in the state.
He also decried the unprecedented looting of Government property by some officials of the immediate past administration in the state, revealing that one compactor truck was recently recovered from an individual’s house where it was concealed.
Ogbonnia further said that only six out of the 11 refuse dump buckets in Aba “are functional”, adding that the Ariaria International Market axis alone needs about 10 of such buckets.
He lamented that the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, was ill-equipped and the low morale of its staff hampering waste disposal efforts.
“ASEPA has 11 buckets in Aba but only six are manageable. The agency also has four functional trucks with three in Aba, and only one in Umuahia.
”The state needs about 200 buckets – 100 in Aba, 50 in Umuahia, and 50 in other emerging towns. The state also needs about 20 trucks for effective evacuation of refuse”.
He, however, said that the State Government was thinking of a more permanent measure for effective waste disposal through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
According to him, Aba and Umuahia have been divided into six zones for a more efficient waste evacuation system to be undertaken by private firms with proven competence and capacity.