Akpayak Community Raises Alarm over Encroaching Gully
By Ekemini Simon
Akpayak Community, a Community in Uyo which has played host to dump sites from the Uyo capital city over the years has raised alarm over encroaching gully in their community.
The community report that the gully has caved in from the former dumpsite which was not properly decommissioned.
The community made their concerns known during a community dialogue held at the community on Thursday by Zero Waste Ambassadors.
In his remarks, the Youth Leader of the Community, Ubong Henry said the gully is caving in farmlands and if not addressed on time especially as the rainy season has commenced, the primary Healthcare Centre at Barracks road among houses around the area may be affected.
On her part, Madam Nsima Eyo complained that already farmlands have been lost to the gully thus affecting livelihoods of the families who depended on proceeds of the farm.
Madam Eyo called the government to urgently intervene noting that the community cannot lose their lands to waste and then gully.
For Mr Imoh Udoh, the community’s yearning is that besides addressing the encroaching gully, they should be saved from the health hazard occasioned by the dumpsite. He called for the relocation of the dumpsite from their community and proper decommissioning of the former dumpsite and the current one.
Earlier in his remarks, the Coordinator of Zero Waste Ambassadors (ZeWA), Comrade Faith Paulinus noted that ZeWA with support from Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria through its project “Advocating for Effective Waste Management Policies” is gathering data from the community thus understand their peculiar challenges which they will use in advocacy for proper waste management policies.
While calling for support, the Coordinator assured the community that ZeWA will target relevant stakeholders to advocate the need for a relief to their environmental challenges until help comes.