The Managing Director of Anambra State Waste Management Authority, ASWAMA, Mr Amechi Akorah, says the agency is embarking on massive and intensive evacuation of refuse in Awka, Onitsha and other parts of the State.
Mr Akorah said the exercise which commenced two weeks ago is a statewide intervention through the Ministry of the Local Government.
According to him, in Awka, the exercise is covering areas like, Ring Road – Nibo – Nise – Agulu axis, Amaenyi, Ichide, Okpuno, Ifite Road among others, where pay-loaders and tipper lorries are loading and carting away refuse.
Mr Akorah said the Authority also fumigate all dump sites after evacuation of waste to prevent infections.
He explained that the build-up of refuse was as a result of system breakdown caused by heavy rains which resulted in heavy flooding at the dump sites which could not allow the bulldozers used for collecting wastes to go beyond the pool of water.
He said that this slowed down the pace, tempo and frequency of waste disposal as ASWAMA workers had to go to Nkwelle Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area to dispose refuse collected from Awka.
The ASWAMA Managing Director expressed delight that the state government, through the Ministry of Works, created outlets for the flood and fixed the dump sites.
Mr Akorah reassured that after the ongoing intervention, ASWAWA will continue with the daily collection and disposal of waste from various points and reminded the residents of the need to avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse, as well as the need for proper bagging of refuse before disposal.
