Address Akpayak Waste Crisis Now- NGO, Stakeholders Tell A’Ibom Government

… As Community Decries high level of pollution, Social Vices at Dumpsite

By Ekemini Simon

A non-governmental organization, Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoEN) together with environmental stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State have called on the Akwa Ibom State Government to take urgent steps in addressing the waste crisis enveloping Akpayak Community in the Akwa Ibom State Capital, Uyo.

Akpayak Community located about two poles to Akwa Ibom State Government House has hosted dumpsites of waste gathered from the capital city for years. 

The Akwa Ibom State Government had recently relocated the waste dumpsite to a new location still within the community but without proper decommissioning.

In recommendations contained in a communique issued at the end of the waste parliament of Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoEN) on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, the parliament called on the Akwa Ibom State Government to urgently address the waste crisis in Akpayak Community and environ thus curb the deepening health, environmental and social challenges enveloping the area.

Earlier, the Family Head of Akpayak, Chief Joseph Okpon accused the government of Akwa Ibom State of not  living up to its responsibility of protecting lives. 

The Community head noted that because of the health, environment and social ills stemming from the dumpsite in their environment which was not properly decommissioned coupled with the new dumpsite opened in their domain, residents of the community are dying by instalment.

He said ” Even after the State government refused to decommission the dumpsite properly, they moved to open a new place around us at Uyo village. Citing it there is worse because they have blocked our stream. 

” They scatter the waste everywhere and as a result, we have lost so many lives because of pollution. We are simply dying by instalment.”

 Chief Okpon revealed that besides the health hazards occasioned by the waste, they are affected by social problems especially as the dumpsite has become a centre for drug business and den for armed robbers.

 He said “People now push drugs there. We can’t go to our farms now because they rape our people. We asked the government that since they have moved out of the area, they should station police there. Instead of policemen to secure the place, they join in the cocaine business.

 
“Clearly, the present government of Governor Udom Emmanuel is not interested in human beings. So much sickness is caused by the type of air we breathe. Personally, I have abandoned my plantation because high industrial and domestic waste has taken over our farmlands.”

The Parliament further recommended that the State Government should come clear on the state of the permanent site for waste management in the State, especially its effort and plans to manage waste in line with international best practice.

The Parliament advised that increasing waste generation in Akwa Ibom State should be seen as a means to wealth creation thus the State government should draw lessons from the Accra Zero Waste Project by transforming generated waste to wealth.

They added ” Waste management must move beyond the sole responsibility of the government. All stakeholders should be interested in waste management and there must be conscious effort to develop this attitude from school level through environmental clubs.

” Government must work towards improved and strategic advocacy through the media, enable citizens access to waste management laws, create a sustainable waste management ecosystem by developing database of dumpsite/dump points, establish clean-up clubs, develop house to house waste management evacuating scheme in order to halt indiscriminate waste disposal practice.”

The waste parliament recommended that there is a need for collaboration between the State Ministry of Environment and Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency for effective waste policies and implementations. 

Earlier, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Mr. Chima Williams said the journey to protect planet earth is not a task for a single group as no single individual or organization can embark on it alone hence the need for all hands to be on deck.

Represented by the Executive Director of Policy Alert, Tijah Bolton-Akpan, ERA/FoEN boss charged Waste Ambassadors to preach the gospel of waste management through their day to day actions.

He said ” It is one thing to talk about waste but it is another to act it out. As leaders in environmental stewardship, when people around  you see that you are consciously reducing waste to the environment, they will unconsciously imitate you.

“Waste is swallowing us up and we need to wake up now. Nothing ever changes the world more than a little drop of action.”

In his remarks, the Head Port Harcourt Office of ERA, Kentebe Ebiaridor said the parliament was designed for stakeholders in the environmental sector to analyze declining state of waste consciousness and management, proffer practical solutions to the concerns raised  and design models for the implementation of the solutions.

Also speaking, Program Manager of ERA/FoEN, Ubrei-Joe Mariere noted that the goal of the project is to assist the State government to adopt zero waste management methodology stressing that where there is waste crisis, there is failure of leadership. 

In their respective goodwill messages, Mrs. Ini Umoh, Director, Climate Change Awareness of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment and Ime Jacob, representative of the Chairman Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency assured the parliament of government determination to manage waste in line with international best practice. 

They thanked ERA/FoEN for the support given to the State and pledged government readiness to adopt and implement the recommendation given.