Good management of waste is important for building sustainable and livable cities, writes Obiotika Wilfred Toochukwu
As the raining season sets in from the Southern part of Nigeria, wastes, dustbins and drainages which are usually dry and unnoticed, have now become repulsive, repugnant and an eyesore due to change in the climatic condition. The awfulness of littering and waste become more visible and appalling in the season of rain. Waste disposals pose more harm in the wet season. Diseases tend to spread more if our environment is not tidy at this season. And just as everything in Nigeria is falling out of place, local councils and state governments are finding it cumbersome to manage waste. Nigeria in the recent past, has not only witnessed miserable conditions but also difficulties as roads, bridges and households are overtaken by flooding. Greedy land grabbers have made our cities and commercial places a sorry sight in their bid to make more money as flooding take over homes, contaminate boreholes and deny inhabitants access to their homes.
Developed countries have come to terms with managing waste and recycling wastes while most developing countries are incapacitated in handling wastes. Most cities in Nigeria are still controlling open defecation and this is our level at taking care of our environment.
Each household has a way of disposing and managing liquid and solid wastes. It all helps in maintaining a healthy family. Proper hygiene and cleanliness are key indicators of a healthy home. Luckily, nowadays there are young men employed by different firms to collect iron, metals, aluminum, plastic and other disposables. It is assured that if each household should take care of their surroundings, there will be clean, livable society. The need to maintain good sanitation on the streets, places of work and markets cannot be overemphasized. States like Lagos observe sanitation every Thursday of the week. In the South East, last Saturdays of every month is used for sanitation – 6:00am to 10:00am.
Governor Soludo did not take the call for a clean environment as a bunk. A little neglect according to him could be expensive. The first port of call for the government of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo was to clean up Okpoko, a suburb of Onitsha metropolis. Back in the days, every writer or researcher wanting to talk about city slums, ghettos must refer to Okpoko. Governor Soludo did not only begin the clean-up of Okpoko with access roads, he equally demolished structures in Onitsha that blocked the flood channels. Some of the times, the governor is seen at Zik Avenue of the Eke Awka axis participating in the monthly clean up. All the Transition Chairmen with their councillors in the 21 LGAs of the state participate in the clean-up exercise following the governor’s directive. On Saturday, 31st March 2023, Soludo flagged, “Clean, Green, and Sustainable Anambra Initiative” at Ochanja, a suburb of Onitsha. Desilting works commenced immediately with prompt evacuation of debris. The Governor assured that efforts towards a clean and healthy environment is being reinvigorated. He charged everyone to take the matter of our environment seriously as the task of preserving the environment is a collective one.
The National Assembly enacted National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (Establishment) Act 2007, through which various state governments Waste Management Authority operate. In some cities in Nigeria, it seems the wastes generated are too large for the government to manage. Waste can be liquid, solid or gas. We can have household waste, biological waste, commercial waste, or industrial waste. Hazardous waste poses a severe threat to the environment and human health and different waste management methods are designed specifically for handling them. Hazardous waste products contain toxic chemicals and are radioactive, so extra care is given for their safe disposal.
Waste management is also a useful way of energy generation. Methods for managing waste include conventional combustion, incineration, and dumping at the landfills or into the ocean. Amongst all the methods, recycling is handled by industries. Composting is found in rural areas as a technique for making fertilizer. Some wastes are used to feed domestic animals like dogs, pigs, goats, sheep as in peels and food scraps. The rural areas have more avenues for managing wastes than the city dwellers. Many problems in the cities are caused by developers and town planners in their quest to make quick money. In most rural communities, even with small population, wastes are disposed properly. Lagos State alone generates excess of 13,000 active tonnes of waste daily, considering the population of the state.
Waste management involves a lot of process in its disposal starting from collection, transportation, dumping, recycling or sewage treatment. Initially, when the government Refuse Disposal Board, worked hand in hand with private operators, we had a cleaner environment. But as governments monopolized the management of waste, it became like every public service of the Nigerian government.
The aim of waste management is to reduce the dangerous effects of such waste on the environment and human health. Proper management of waste is important for building sustainable and livable cities. Among state governments, we see a humungous amount of money usually in billions mapped out for waste disposal. This shows that waste management is still a big challenge to the Nigerian government. Benefits of a clean environment include: better environment, reduced pollution through the elimination of the impacts of harmful greenhouse gases like methane, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. This decreases the reliance on landfills for waste deposit that adversely affects the environment. Energy conservation and reduction of carbon footprints is one of the benefits. Clean environment equally creates employment opportunities.
Improper waste disposal can contaminate water, soil and air. Some challenges are; inadequate government designated refuse dumps, ineffective sanitation laws, and lack of public enlightenment/awareness. Poor waste management can cause typhoid, diarrhoea, cholera, asthma, and bronchitis.
Maintaining a clean environment reduces pollution, preserves our biosphere, protects endangered species, and helps preserve the earth’s natural resources. In society, the state of cleanliness represents the mindset of its inhabitants. Cleanliness promotes mental clarity. A clean environment boosts our self-confidence. Cleanliness gives a fresh and good look to our surroundings. It helps in prevention of infectious diseases. When people live in a clean environment, they make life so safe, comfortable and enjoyable. People who work in cleaner environments are productive and always in a laughing mood. A clean environment ensures a constant supply of clean food. A dirty or uninviting environment doesn’t just cause infections or repulsion, it also pulls apart your emotional control and mental stability. On the other hand, a clean environment facilitates a sound health, and helps build a robust well-being.
Toochukwu writes from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church,
Ugwu-Awgbu,
Anambra State
