By Ibebe Rufus
LAGOS MARCH 11TH (URHOBOTODAY)-A part of the Government Reservation Area (G.R.A) located in Ughelli North LGA, Delta State of Nigeria has been converted into a big refuse dump by residents of Olotu street and market traders.
The plot of land which shares a boundary between Ughelli General field and location near Ughelli High Court I has been completely taken over by heaps of waste bin which were believed to have been dumped by residents of the nearby Olotu street and traders of Ughelli main market.
The refuse dump sited near the only public library in Ughelli North L.G.A, had made reading at the library difficult due to the offensive odour emanating from rotten waste thrown into the site. According to a passerby, the waste has been there for more than ten years. ”This dust bin has been here for over ten years. You can see for yourself how large it has been. If it has been that it is in another place, I would not have mind, but for it to be here (G.R.A), it means our governments are not working,” the passersby lamented.
The most annoying part of the waste bin is that it is very close to many government offices. The waste bin is just a pole away from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, National Security and Civil Defense Corps, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) zonal office and above all, Ministry of Works. All these government offices could not clear the heap refuse that has been causing pollution to the environment.
URHOBOTODAY ONLINE gathered that the heaps of refuse that had now taken over large portions of the road has lead to a lot of accident in the past.
Another passerby identified as Mr. John Okeoghene appealed to the government of Ughelli North L.G.A to remove the waste because it is not only polluting the environment, but also a disgrace to the image the L.G.A in particular and the state at large.
His words “The Chairman of Ughelli North(L.G.A should as a matter of urgency remove this dust bin quickly. It is polluting the environment and it is also creating the image that ughelli people and Nigerian are dirty people. You cannot see this kind of thing in oversea.”