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Tag: shanties

  • Lagos shanties of Horror

    Lagos shanties of Horror

    All over the world, shanties in cities is a natural concomitant of urbanisation. In world’s most populous cities such as Bombay, Hong Kong, London and Singapore, the problem of shanties is a recurring decimal which governments in these countries have battled to solve for ages. The cause varies from rural urban migration, illegal immigrants syndrome in capitals like London and Washington DC, to poverty and insufficient and unaffordable accommodation. Coupled with this is the fact that the urban population in the world is rising generally.

    Lagos, a mega city with an estimated population of 22 million inhabitants is not an exception in the menace of shanties and this has been on for ages. The only exception is that Lagos shanties are becoming that of horror where illegal migrants like kidnappers and militants have made their comfort zones, from where they make use of the waterways to ferry their victims to another location.

    Recently, Governor Ambode ordered that all shanties in Ilubirin and along all creeks, waterways and under high tension cables be demolished while the illegal occupants should be evicted. This may sound harsh in the face of the present economic situation, but the fact remains that the action is necessary in order to protect lives and property of about 22 million Lagosians. Building of illegal structures under high tension cables is without doubt, an accident waiting to happen which no responsible government would condone.

    The history of the Ilubinrin shanties especially, reveals that the present illegal occupants moved in and erected illegal structures by cashing in on the time lag created by the redesigning of the Ilubinrin housing project which was started by former Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu about ten years ago with the reclamation of the lagoon while the fishermen who were there at that time were resettled at Badore.

    The housing units which was initially expected to accommodate 1,254 housing units started in 2013, while the scheme was reviewed and redesigned by the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to accommodate 1,500 families and make the place a live, work and play environment, with the partnership of a private investor. However, the illegal settlers moved into Illubirin waterfront during the process of redesigning the scheme and erected shanties. It is also noteworthy that all quit notices to the illegal occupants have been ignored up till the time that the illegal structures were demolished.

    It is not in doubt that shanties all over the world have always provided a safe haven for all sorts of criminals. In Lagos, shanties, especially those along the coastal areas have become the base of kidnappers as witnessed in Arepo, though in Ogun State, the kidnappers who are suspected militants operated in Lagos and even kidnapped a monarch, Oba Goriola Oseni, the Oniba of Iba. It took the aerial bombardment of the Arepo shanties by the Nigerian Airforce to reduce the once operational base of the kidnappers to rubbles and this has restored relative peace in the area.

    The recent case of kidnap of students and teachers of Lagos Senior and Junior Model College,Igbonla-Epe, on Thursday in their school and who are still in captivity, once again brought to the fore the dangers inherent in allowing these shanties to fester in the state. Before the Epe kidnapping incident, in March 2016, 3 female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu Lagos, were also abducted and were only rescued six days after, through the prompt intervention of the Lagos State Government.

    With the above incidents, the Governor could hardly be faulted for ordering the demolition of all shanties along creeks and waterways. Apart from the security of lives and property of millions of Lagosians which is the primary responsibility of any government, the move would enhance the government’s pursuit of its policy on cleaner environment and restoration of master plans through the removal of all environmental infractions and nuisances across the state. No investor would bring his money to a city where his life, that of his family and property are not safe.

    While the plight of the urban poor most of who migrated to the city to have a better live must be considered as many of us including Governor Ambode are from humble backgrounds, this does not mean that government should fail in its duty to educate the people on the need to refrain from constructing any structure on river banks, because the safety of about 22 million residents of the State cannot be allowed to be jeopardised by few.

    Not a few people will agree with the obvious fact stated by the state government that, “It is quite worrisome that ramshackle structures, sheds, canopies and shanties, especially along shorelines have turned to the abode of miscreants/street urchins, rapists, kidnappers, touts, street traders and hawkers who often vandalise public utilities and attack innocent citizens”. Apart from the above, lives of the illegal occupants of these shanties are at risk of flooding and other health hazards like cholera and other communicable diseases as a result of poor hygienic conditions of the shanties.

    Just like any other city in the world, the concentration of economic development in a city like Lagos has largely accounted for population boom in very short periods of time which has severely stretched the coping capacity of city governments. One of the most visible outcomes of rapid urbanisation is therefore Urban Slum Formation. The most pragmatic solution to this is that the Lagos state government taking a cue from other developing nations with city slums, is focussing on the effective link established between planned economic development, uban growth and housing.

    This is why Governor Ambode’ s assurance to Lagosians that a lot of houses would be rolled out in the next few months is a cheering news. It is equally heart warming that the private investor will move into the Ilubinrin housing project site with an investment of a whopping $500m anytime from now.

    Boxer and politician Manny Pacquiao, built over 1,000 houses for poor Philippinos in his home town. The multi-millionaire boxing champion, who is also a congressman, and a born-again Christian said, “As faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms, each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. I’m so happy giving this houses free to my constituents in Sarangani Province from my own pocket more than thousand families are the beneficiaries.”

    I know we may not have another Pacquiao in Nigeria even though we have many religious organisations richer than many state governments, but let such individuals and organisations compliment the effort of government by assisting the poor to have access to decent but affordable accommodation. If they cannot offer the houses free like Pacquaio, they can at least make it so cheap that there will be no need for the urban poor to erect shanties that would later become a safe haven for criminals with the attendant health risks to the inhabitants, especially hapless women and children.

    It is high time the Lagos state government demolish all shanties of horror which has become the abode of kidnappers of our school children while reviewing the law against kidnapping to make it a capital punishment as obtained in other states in Nigeria.

    Akintunde, a development economist, wrote from Lagos.

  • Lagos insists illegal structures, shanties must go

    Lagos insists illegal structures, shanties must go

    THERE is no going back on the ongoing demolition of illegal structures, shanties on the various waterfronts in the Centre of Excellence, the state government said yesterday.

    Information and Strategy Commissioner Steve Ayorinde, his counterparts in the Environment and Housing, Babatunde Adejare and  Gbolahan Lawal, made the clarification at a joint press conference in Alausa.

    The clarification came barely 24 hours after residents of the affected shanties protested the seven-day notice served on them by the state government to relocate from the shanties, slums and kiosks.

    Addressing journalists, Ayorinde explained that the government embarked on vigorous pursuits of its policy on cleaner environment and restoration of master plans through the removal of all environmental infractions and nuisances across the state.

    He said: “One key point we are trying to emphasize here is the issue of kidnapping. I am sure that you are aware of the protest by the Lagos slum dwellers. It is important to state here that the key reason for the government action was for security of lives and property within the state.

    “Practically, perpetrators of the four kidnapping that had occurred in Lagos this year, escaped through the waterways. Therefore, the government cannot close its eyes to the reality of the moment.

    “Intelligent report showed that many of the settlement especially the shanties and the slums, contribute either to the direct cases of kidnapping or to the escape of the perpetrators.”

    Ayorinde said that government will continue with its strategy of explaining to residents, especially the civil society organisations and those affiliated to foreign NGOs to see reasons with the government to desist from acts that might insight the public against the government.

    He said: “We are not going out of the law to demolish houses. We will often engage with the communities involved before embarking on anything that could affect them.

    “We have always been considerate with the plight of those considered as urban poor but will not allow their situation to jeopardise the safety and security of more than 21 million residents of the state.

    “This is the reason the state government will not back down or succumb to cheap blackmail.”

    Ayorinde note that the flagrant disobedience of building regulations in the state propelled the government to remove all structures that are in contravention of the law.

    He described as worrisome that ramshackle structures, sheds, canopies and shanties, especially along the shorelines, have turned to the abode of miscreants/street urchins, kidnappers, touts, street traders and hawkers who often vandalise public utilities and attack innocent citizens.

    “The State’s Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010, prohibits erecting structures within the Right of Ways and set backs of drainage Channels, centre-line of over-head electricity wires and also states in very clear terms specified distance to be observed between a Property line and a public utility.”

    He urged residents to comply with government directives, considering that it has invested massively on beautification, solid waste management and cleaning of the environment.

    “There is no going back on the enforcement of applicable laws by removing all development and activities encroaching on the Right of Way of utilities and services. Having residential buildings or conducting business under high tension power lines, constitute danger to lives and properties that could have fatal consequences.”

    Ayorinde said the government will no longer tolerate any violation of its building laws and that it will remove structures and buildings constructed under high tension.

    The Housing commissioner explained that former Governor Bola Tinubu re-claimed Ilubirin10 years ago for the development of an estate.

    He said the fishermen found at the location were relocated to Badore in Ikorodu for them to continue with the fishing activities.

    Lawal said the current occupants moved in after the area was reclaimed by the government and when they were asked to relocate, they refuse to yield to government directive.

    “The fishermen currently displaced were illegal squatters. They do not have legitimate right to live there. For us, there was no community in that location at the moment.”

  • 100 shanties, paint chemicals go up in flames

    About 100 shanties and drums of vehicle paint chemicals were yesterday destroyed by fire in Lagos.

    The fire swept through Ijora, Ojo and Ikotun areas of the state.

    The Ijora fire, it was learnt, started at about 1am and was caused by candle light.

    A resident was said to have lit a candle and gone to bed.

    The Nation gathered that the fire razed over 100 shanties; it also destroyed a trailer parked on the Iganmu side of the community.

    At Ojo, 12 ATM batteries were destroyed when a Skye Bank branch caught fire.

    House 33, Onile Wura, Street in Ikotun accommodating about nine warehouses, also went up in flames.

    Firemen were able to restrict the inferno to Iron Product Industries, where it started.

    It was learnt that the fire followed an explosion of vehicle paint chemicals.

    Several brand new vehicles, including trailers, it was learnt were parked in the premises but saved from the fire.

    Director, Lagos State Fire Service Rasaq Fadipe said there were no casualties.

    He said: “We received the fire alert for Ikotun around 1:30am, Ijora at 1:40am and Ojo at 5:56am.

    “It took us five hours with three water trucks to combat the Ikotun outbreak while that of the Skye Bank was limited to the ATM and affected 12 of the 24 batteries.

    “The place was smoke logged and so, my men had to put on their breathing apparatus to avoid suffocation. It took about an hour and 30 minutes to contain it.”

    Fadipe noted that residents of Ijora and similar areas do not adhere to fire safety regulations.

  • FROM SHANTIES TO PALATIAL ‘HOMES’:Lagos IDPs celebrate freedom from mosquitoes, rats

    FROM SHANTIES TO PALATIAL ‘HOMES’:Lagos IDPs celebrate freedom from mosquitoes, rats

    IF tragedy is what is required to transform people’s lives from a state of misery to happiness, the victims of the fire incident that occurred at Iwaya, a suburb of Yaba area of Lagos State, early last month, would no doubt wish for more.

    The victims, most of who have been moved by the state government to the LASEMA Relief Camp at Agbowa, a suburb of Ikorodu area of the state, appeared to have shrugged off the misery they were plunged into by the incident and enjoying their lives.

    They have moved from wailing to wearing toothy smiles, from being emasculated to being vivacious and from being gloomy to celebrating.

    One of the inmates, Blessing Asehinde, had this to say about their new status: “We are living like kings and queens here. I use two fans with my children.  It has been so good all along and we are very grateful for all this. If given the opportunity, I would want to continue living here.”

    A visit to the camp reveals that this is the mood of all the inmates and they are celebrating it. Coming from a ghetto where basic facilities are in short supply and where little or no attention is paid to hygiene, they have come to see the camp as a paradise that must not be lost. Checks showed that they are celebrating because they are now enjoying certain facilities that were previously alien to them.

    Back in their razed shanty settlement, the victims, it was learnt, were defecating in canals and living at the mercy of mosquitoes and rats. But this has changed since they got to the camp and for them, it is worth celebrating. From defecating in canals, they said they now do so in glittering water closet and do not wait till night fall to have their bath.

    “Back there in Iwaya, we used to defecate in the canal but coming here, we are now using water closet. It is not that we were going to canal to ease ourselves. We used to do it in a place that was covered with roofing sheet and after defecating, we would fling it into canal.

    “That was the practice then but all that has stopped since we got here. We who used to do ‘shot put’ style of defecating now defecate in clean water closet,” Madam Aina Sotade, a 60 year- old refugee told The Nation.

    Bimpe Akintunde , a mother of four, said they  have been delivered from the practice of defecating in one place and going to throw it away in another place since they got to the camp. She said: “We used to defecate in nylon bag and after doing that, we would transfer it inside latrine. We now defecate in fine water closet. We have also been delivered from the pains of carrying buckets up and down looking for water. We have been bathing three times a day and under shower for that matter.

    “We wash our clothes as soon as they are dirty, unlike in Iwaya where we used to heap our dirty clothes in one corner of the house because water was not always available. When water would even be available for us to buy, the money to buy it might not be there. We have taken a breather from all that since we came here.”

    Blessing Peters, a 28-year-old refugee, however, took exceptions to defecating in canal while living in Iwaya. “Although I lived in a plank building back there, I created a place where I fitted water system to in my apartment because I could not use latrine like most people. There were so many places that you would visit there in Iwaya and you would be shocked that such places existed in such shanty community.”

     

    Freedom from mosquitoes and rats

    Before the fire incident sacked them from Iwaya, the refugees narrated that they were literarily living with mosquitoes and never saw anything unusual about it.

    After some weeks of leaving the area, Folasade Meduoye, an refugee, said she develops  nightmare anytime she thinks of going back to the community to attend to personal issues.  “I had wanted to go to Iwaya since the beginning of the week but the fear of the mosquitoes keeps discouraging me.

    “I am always crestfallen whenever I remember that I have something to do at Iwaya all because of the anger of the mosquitoes.  They may even be more aggressive this time around because they would feel that we abandoned them to be starving since we left there to come here.

    “If you see the mosquitoes at Iwaya, fear will grip you. If you sit outside to receive fresh air, you will not wait to pick your slippers if the mosquitoes should descend on you. They were in different shapes and colours.”

    Bimpe Akintunde , a mother of four, also spoke about the menace of mosquitoes in the razed community. Mosquitoes used to bite the hell out of our bodies at Iwaya because of the nature of the area  but that is not the case here. Even if you choose to sleep outside, you would not feel a single mosquito bite. You dare not try that Iwaya. If you do, you will end up in the hospital the following day,” she said.

    Blessing Peter, 28, and a single mother, spoke about the effrontery of the rats in their former settlement. She remarked:  “We have been free from the usual offensive smells that used to be the order of the day at Iwaya. We don’t have heap of refuse dump and mosquitoes in this place but we had all that at Iwaya.

    “I have also come to notice that the rats here are different from the ones we lived with at Iwaya. The Iwaya rats are completely local rodents, while the ones here are classical rats.  When you come across a rat at Iwaya, they would not run away.

    “Instead of running away, they would keep staring at you in a manner that suggests they were co-tenants. It was only when they were chased that they would run away. The rats here would not wait for you to chase them before they run. They run immediately they see you.”

     

    Sexual life of refugees in the camp

    Owing to the conditions they have found themselves, findings revealed that the sexual life of the refugees has not been the same since they arrived the camp. While the male appears to have lost appetite for sex, the females said they always find ways to satisfy their urge with their husbands.

    Chief Oluw17, 18, 19 20 AGBOWA 14-2-15.o Oladiji Sotade, a native doctor, said his state of mind does not encourage sexual matters to cross his mind, adding: “My wife and my children are here with me but we are not staying in the same apartment.  I have had no sexual urge since the incident happened and have never thought of sleeping with my wife since then. I am telling you that I have nothing to fall back on again and that the dress I am wearing now was given to me by somebody, you are talking about sex. What is sex?

    “Is it not when you are happy that your manhood will be erect? Even when I sleep these days, I always make sure I lock up very well to prevent anybody from coming to disturb me.”

    Okorie, another refugee, said he has always wished to make love with his wife but could not because they were not staying in the same hostel. “I have not been ‘kicking’ (making love) since we came here because I am not staying in the same hostel with my wife. We only come together during the day to keep each other’s company.

    “There is nothing I can do about it because the environment does not permit that. I have always suppressed the feeling any time it comes.  ‘Kicking’ is suspended till we have a conducive environment for that.”

    It is, however, a different ball game for Blessing Asehinde.  She said: “My husband is not staying here with us. He only comes to visit us. We do make love whenever he comes because I am in a family dormitory. We just have to do that because it would not be appropriate to deny him sexually.

    “I would equally not want to starve myself of sex unnecessarily just because I am in a relief camp. There is no big deal about it as long as I am doing it with my husband. If there were no room for it, we would adjust or find a way out.”

    Another refugee, Folasade Meduoye, said: “My hubby used to come here and when he does, we take time out to make love. If he doesn’t come, I do go out to meet him to satisfy his sexual needs and mine. I don’t think it is necessary to abstain when my hubby is there to fulfill his conjugal duties.”

    Bimpe said she has been on ‘sabbatical leave’ sexually because her husband is currently held in prison custody. I have had nothing to do with sex since my husband was arrested.  No guy in Iwaya had the courage to come and approach me for such because they respect my husband. I have also not cheapened myself before any man since then because of the love I have for my husband.  I have put sexual matters on hold for now,” she said.

     

    Refugees seek permanent residence in camp

    Apparently overwhelmed by the facilities in the new environment they have found themselves, the refugees wished the government could make them permanent residents in the camp because  they have no place to move into if they are asked to quit the camp.

    Bimpe said: “I have nowhere to go from here if the government asks me to leave because I have been the only one responsible for the up-keep of my four kids. My husband, Sulaimon Olomi, who should have been complementing my efforts is currently in Kirikiri prison.

    “I want to plead with the government to help me facilitate the release of my husband from the prison.  He was into land business and was arrested with some of his colleagues sometime in August, last year.

    “The arrest took place three days to our last born’s naming ceremony.  We have made spirited efforts to bail him but all that has been fruitless.  Some of his colleagues that were arrested together with him have been released but I don’t know why he is still being held.”

    Expressing her wish to continue to live in the camp, Madam Sotade, said: “I don’t want to go back to Iwaya for any reasons. I wish to continue to live here and also appreciate getting a job from the state government to make both ends meet because I have nothing I can all my own again.

    “The clothe I am putting on was given to me by somebody. Aside from it, I only have two others that were equally given to me by kind-hearted people. If the government asks us to leave this camp today, I will end up wandering about because I don’t have anywhere to put my head neither do I have a dime to get accommodation.”

     

    Refugees eulogise Lagos govt, LASEMA

    The refugees showered praises on the state government and the officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) for the love they have shown to them since the incident occurred.

    “I really thank LASEMA for their support since the incident happened. I could not bring my first son to this place because he wanted to write his common entrance examination. It was the officials of LASEMA that gave me money to buy his books and bag.

    “There is nobody that would not prefer the life in this place.  We are being given three square meals every day and once that is taken away from the poverty in one’s life, the rest can be endured. It even appears they instructed power authorities not to deny us of power supply and whenever there is power outage, they would switch on generator to give us power supply,” Bimpe said.

    Also speaking, Chief Oluwo said: “We thank God for the help we have been receiving from the state government. Governor Fashola has proven that governance is about meeting the people at their points of needs. He and the officials of LASEMA have been very helpful and faithful to us.”

    Still locked up in his state of confusion, he added: “I have no hope or idea of what to do next with my life and family. I am even yet to recover from the shock because all the traditional things I used to do my work were consumed by the fire. The shock almost affected me mentally because most of the things that were burnt are not things you can get to buy in the market. I have been sick since then.

    “I didn’t visit the clinic in the camp for treatment. I have been trying to treat myself the native way by going into nearby bush to get leaves to make herbal drinks. I am better off now and would only plead with the government to further help us.

    “I lost all my traditional heritage as a herbalist to the incident.  It is very painful to me and that is why I have decided to come and hide myself here to recover from the shock that I suffered after the incident.  As a native doctor, there was nothing I could do when the incident occurred because it happened late in the night and caught us, I in particular, unawares.”

     

    Our babies are for  gov —Pregnant refugees

    The family of Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fasola may soon get additional five new born babies! The babies are coming from five expectant mothers at the relief camp, who have described their babies as Fasola’s children following the support he has been giving them since they were taken to the camp.

    17, 18, 19 20 AGBOWA 14-2-15.The women,  Ngozi Aloy, Fausat Hussein, Ezinne Okorie,  Kafaya Ifaniyi and Oluwaseyi Kayode, described the babies in their wombs as ‘government pikin’ and wished  that the governor would attend their naming ceremonies. They lamented that all the baby things they bought in preparation for the babies’ arrival were burnt in the incident that brought them to the camp.

    “The baby I am carrying is a child of the governor because his good gesture brought relief to the baby when all hope was lost. I was sleeping in my tiny shop with my children after the fire incident. It was my husband that asked me to come here. In fact, I would want the governor to come for the naming ceremony to see the baby that his magnanimity saved from being born by the road side,” Ngozi said.

    The woman, who is close to her delivery date, pleaded for more medical attention, adding: “I have not been sleeping well. My stomach aches me a lot and it always appears as if the baby is coming up to my chest region. I would appreciate more support from the government to be delivered safely.”

    In the same vein, Fausat remarked: “I wish to stay here and give birth. Even if I don’t, the baby is Fasola’s child because he played a role in keeping him safe in my womb when the incident occurred. All the baby things that I bought got burnt in the incident. I thank the governor for giving me succour. I would have been wandering about with this pregnancy but the governor, out of his magnanimity, put a roof over my head. This is indeed Fashola’s baby.”

    The camp commandant, Saibu Akeem, said: “The refugees have been very cooperative and  law-abiding. We have not had any problem with them since they came here. We thank them for also appreciating the efforts of LASEMA and the kind gestures of the state government.”

  • Delta battles to wrest ‘oil city’ from filth, shanties

    Delta battles to wrest ‘oil city’ from filth, shanties

    The popular Warri town in Delta State is the economic hub of the state and a capital of oil activities in the country. Journalists and residents refer to Warri as the ‘oil city’.

    Over the years, the tag seemed to be misplaced as the city seemed more like the ‘dirty city’ because of the sprout of illegal structures, shanties and attitude of the people to cleanliness as well as indiscriminate waste disposal and the failure of the local councils to deal with the waste generated by over one million inhabitants.

    ‘Warri’ goes beyond the Warri metropolis – headquarters of Warri South Local Government Area. It is an amalgam of the metropolis, Ugbuwangue, Ubeji and Iffie in the WSLGA as well as Effurun, Ekpan, Enerhen, Ugbolokposo and some other towns in Uvwie Local Government Area. It is also quickly spreading into Orhumworhum, Aladja and other enclaves in Udu Local Government Area.

    As the city grew over the past decades, the environment decayed.

    Frustrated by the deplorable state of this mega city, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan several years ago slammed the attitude of the people to the cleanliness of their environment. The governor could not understand why people could not clean the front of their homes, shops and places of business.

    Over five years later, the state government rolled out the bulldozers again in a final push to bring down illegal structures, makeshift shops, houses and shanties and wrest the city from the vice-like grip of filth.

    A lot of Deltans felt the move was long overdue, particularly as heaps of dirt – some as high as a storey-building – are piling up in the streets and every nook and cranny of the city. Market women, particularly those at the Effurun Market randomly cast their wastes on the median of the PTI Road. They build moulds of waste that force motorists and commuters to cover their noses whenever they pass through.

    The smelly, dirty sights are replicated on Airport Road, Jakpa and other major roads in the city, much to the angst of citizens and government alike. Even the redesign and beautification of the Enerhen Junction has failed to prevent indiscriminate disposal of refuse in the area.

    It was against the backdrop that the state government recently constituted a 25-man special sanitation team, chaired by the State’s Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama to supervise the cleaning up of Warri, Uvwie and Udu Council Areas.

    Speaking after the inauguration of the team in Warri, Prof Utuama said the state government was worried to observe the growing incidents of illegal markets, illegal motor parks and the poor waste disposal habits prevalent in Warri and its environs. He described the situation as unacceptable.

    He lamented that the beautifully designed Enerhen Junction, which was constructed as part of the State Government’s junction improvement and beautification programme has been turned into a refuse dump. He also lamented that Ugbuwangue Junction on the NPA Express way had become an illegal market and trading depot.

    The Deputy Governor warned that the team would not spare any effort in restoring sanity and order to the affected areas and advised defaulters and residents of the affected areas to remove their makeshift structures and refuse or be prepared to face the consequence of their actions.

    True to his words, the bulldozers rolled into the area on Thursday, April 3. The team is backed by stern-faced security personnel, wheelbarrows, pick-up and vans. As the bulldozers roared into the city, it brought about tears, sorrow and wailing. But the victims were mostly the builders of their collapsing world because they ignored warning to remove the structures.

    The scene at a popular Mobil Filing Station located on Airport Junction in the heart of the city was the clearest pointer to the poor attitude of business owners and residents of the areas to environmental sanitation. Our reporter who visited the scene saw refuse pits within and around the parameters of the petrol station.

    The Commissioner for Water Resource, Dr Chris Oghenechovwen, ordered the shutdown of the filling station until the management evacuated the wastes.

    But a member of staff at the premises said the management had paid the sanitation task force at the Uvwie Council to evacuate the waste.

    However, Prof Utuama assured that the state Waste Management Board would be strengthened to ensure that the gains made during the exercise are sustained.

    Already, the Commissioner for Environment, Frank Omare, said the government had invested a lot of money in waste disposal trucks, adding that 1,600 environmental marshals are being trained to ensure that people behave very well.

    “In Asaba, we have installed incinerator that will tackle wastes in the whole of Delta north. We are bringing in an incinerator of about 2,000 tonnages in Warri. Those are things that we are putting together.”

    Over 1,000 makeshift shops have been demolished in the affected areas and yet the exercise is far from over.