Illegal dumpsites, pollution threaten Osun communities

 Indiscriminate dumping of refuse has significant effects on health, environment, economic and social status of any community. Communities in Osun State still battle with this menace. Toba Adedeji of The Nation reports

The efforts of the Osun State government to save the society from environmental decadence are commendable. But a former Osun State Waste Management Agency dumpsite and other illegal dumpsites in areas across the state have become worrisome.

The dumpsite at Onibu-Eja in Egbedore Local Government Area was certified for that purpose during the administration of Rauf Aregbesola. It was under the control of Osun State Waste Management Agency (OWAMA) but in January 2019, it was relocated to a new place far from communities after an incessant protest by residents.

The dumpsite is on the Iwo/Osogbo Road, which very close to three communities namely Onibueja, Aduragbemi and Ido Osun but the latter community was not that affected because of its distance to the dumping site.

Though Onibueja and Aduragbemi communities are located outside Osogbo, a newcomer in Osun State, especially in Osogbo, would have classified the communities as part of Osogbo because they are all joined and it is just N50 transport fare to access the areas from Osogbo.

Despite the relocation of dumpsite at Onibu-Eja, there are still heaps of garbage at the site which still constitute a menace to the residents as some individuals still dump refuse illegally while scavengers burn debris to get irons out of them. The smoke from the site caused air pollution which causes residents to bewail the condition.

Residents of the area are mostly civil servants, and businessmen. Indigenes are largely farmers.

When our correspondent visited Onibu Eja, it was noticed that the dumping site on the Iwo/Osogbo expressway endangered the community as odours from the rots from the heaps of garbage dump in the area was very thick in areas.

A resident, Komolafe Adeoti, said: “If I tell you that this dumpsite is not affecting us, I am only deceptive. You can see flies all around. We hunt flies when we are eating. It is even better now that they have relocated it to another place but the leftover still affect us. We had a series of protests before the present Governor relocated the site to another place. However, some individuals are still dumping the refuse illegally.”

Another resident, Sunday Abere, said: “It is worrisome that scavengers now visit the heaps to pick up materials, for them to get it easily the burn them so that they get irons and others they need quickly. The smoke that emits from the burning affect us a lot. Some of the residents here are battling with asthma. It is even worst at night, the area will be engulfed with smoke. Buildings have been here long ago before the government decided to situate the dumping site here, in fact, this is a community that has it, own traditional ruler.

“One of the residents who I am closed with had aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illness, with his condition he can’t survive living this area so he had to leave to somewhere else.

“Some of the people in this area that rented apartment are not welling to renew them, even some won’t finish their rent before the pack out. Some of us that have our house here, we are feed up.”

Similarly, Mrs Sodiq commended Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for relocating the dumpsite but she pleaded with the government to ensure that individuals did not dump refuse on the site again and also they should clear the heaps of garbage.

Her words: “We are happy the Governor Oyetola moved the dumpsite somewhere else but we will forever be grateful if the government clear the heaps on that site because some individual still dump and scavengers put fire on them so they can easily get what they needed from the debris.”

The General Secretary of the Onibu-Eja Community, Mr Temitope Owolabi speaking with The Nation Correspondent that visited the site said, the dumb site has scared lots of people away from their lands and homes because the experience was not palatable.

“We thank God that they have relocated it to another place but the menace here is still not good. We have flies around and we are prone to sicknesses. They are still dumping refuse around the gate illegally without considering the fact that the government has relocated it to another place. The government should put measures together to stop illegal dumping. As Executives of the community, we stop them when we have opportunities.

“We don’t have any hospital around this community. We have about 1,000 buildings in the community. The government should come to our aid because people are vacating this area.”

According to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ), ” Environmental pollution due to illegal dumping causes short-term and long-term health issues. Short-term issues include asthma; congenital illnesses; stress and anxiety; headaches, dizziness and nausea; and eye and respiratory infections. Long-term concerns include cancer and kidney; liver; respiratory; cardiovascular; brain; nervous; and lymphohematopoietic diseases. Beyond negative health outcomes due to pollution and toxic waste, illegal dumps pose a physical threat. Unstable piles of material and exposed nails threaten harm to humans, specifically children who may be attracted to illegal dumps as play areas.”

Other illegal dumpsites visited in Osogbo metropolis are Oleyo, Orita-Elelede, Jameegbo, Ori Eru and Better Life. While our correspondent also visited Ori Atan Baba Elesi in Ada, Boripe Local Government Area.

Residents of these areas lamented the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in their areas.

Akilapa dumpsite is about 300 meters away from the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, which is also close to Oja Oba Police Station. The borehole serving the community is about 15 meters away from the illegal dumpsite.

A resident around the Akilapa dumpsite, Oja-Oba, Osogbo, Sikiru Olayide, lamented the offensive odour of the dumpsite and its inherent environmental pollution, which is injurious to the health of the people.

He said relevant authorities should sanction the people dumping refuse at the place and assist in clearing the debris.

“The odour from the debris is even worrisome. There is no time that people do not complain. After several warnings, they have desisted from dumping refuse in broad daylight and have resorted to the wee hours of the day. We want the government to help us.”

“This dumpsite poses threats to our health and it could even trigger an epidemic. The government has been unable to help us.”

It was noted that despite the horrifying smell of waste, some people still inhabit and raise their families especially in buildings close to the dumpsites without recourse to the dangers inherent therein.

At the Oleyo dumpsite, a community leader, Mr Fatai Adeoye, said the community had been making efforts to ensure that the debris in the place is cleared every Saturday to avoid an epidemic outbreak.

“The community had not consulted government on the matter, it had put in place mechanisms for clearing and proper segmentation of the drainage for the free flow of water.

“This place has been like this for a long time. It was formerly a stream which linked a waterway. But since the people had started dumping refuse there, it grew to become a heavy dumpsite. Government officials from Olorunda Local Government had been here before to look at the situation with promises of clearing the place.

“At the community level, I lead women here every Saturday for proper cleaning and sanitation of the area. We have begun the construction of the drainage leading to the dumpsite. So, we would not spare any effort to make sure that this place is clean.

“However, we are helpless. We want the government to intervene. We understand the health hazard that a heavy dumpsite like this without proper maintenance would cause to the environment and that is why we need government’s help.”

The Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Sanitation, Mr Rufus Oyegbile, said the government is working assiduously to curb the menace of illegal dumping in the state.

“We want to review the activities of Private Sector Participation (PSP) on waste management of Osun State. There is a review before the governor in which in each local government area in the state, the chairmen are proposing that they all have their own recognise and demarcation dump site each.

” We are also having a plan of having central dumpsite which will be situated at the headquarters of Federal Constituency. Once the memo is approved by the governor, the PSP will be given condition by the state government and it will even create jobs for our people. The old people we are using before have to reapply and if they satisfy our condition of service on tackling illegal dumping they will be given job. We are recruiting about 62 of them to be in charge of our vehicles.”

“The enforcement agency under Osun Waste Management Agency headed by one Mr Popoola will do the monitoring of dumping that will make sure that each household has it own waste bin. The agency will supervise the PSP operators, by this our dumpsites will be well managed across the state. We intend to use the waste to generate waste wealth, our vehicles will collect it and bring it to the central dumpsite. Three interested companies are vying to manage our waste wealth which will be approved next year, 2021,” he said.

He stressed that by the moves of the government, residents would enjoy a clean environment, revenue and job opportunities.

“Osun is going to have better waste management. At Onibu-Eja dumpsite, we will subject it to its use. We may not have break ground on waste management but we have gone very far,” he added.