As a result of this trend, heaps of refuse have become an eyesore on major roads in the state, including bus stops, markets, schools, fields among others. The quantity of refuse in the state has continued to increase following the rising population of people and animals. The effect of this habit of indiscriminate disposal of refuse cannot be overemphasised, especially when viewed against its health implications. The heaps of refuse have become such a common sight that they appears to be a part of the metropolis.
But in the past few months, efforts have been on to redefine the state’s outlook by ridding it of the heaps of garbage.
The state government, a few months ago, through its Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a waste management company known as Zoom Lion Global Alliance (ZL Global Alliance) to make Kaduna State “clean, green and healthy”.
The company saddled with the responsibility of making the state clean takes care of streets sweeping and waste evacuation among others. The state government in its quest to change the status quo and continually improve the living condition and well-being of the people of the state encouraged the company to come up with a ‘waste to cash’ programme, which kick-started on September 15, 2016 and ended on September 22. The initiative was meant to encourage the people to turn in their waste in exchange for cash. Under the scheme, the company paid N1.00 per kilogramme of waste.
The initiative couldn’t have come at a better time when viewed against the current economic situation in the country. Residents took advantage of the cash reward to key into the programme. During the one week of the programme, residents came out with their waste well packed for sale. Daily Trust on Sunday observed that the development caused residents to jealously guard their wastes. Many barred scavengers from taking away their wastes.
But the experience of a clean environment which the programme provided in Kaduna, was short lived, as immediately it ended, heaps of refuse returned to major spots in the state. Some residents who spoke to our correspondent urged the state government to continue the waste to cash project until it becomes part and parcel of residents to package and keep their waste well. “My son got over N1,000 from sale of refuse during the waste to cash project because at that time, he would personally monitor the cleaning of the house and the surrounding environments so as to collect the waste, so if this programme continues, it would change the attitude and orientation of the people,” Malam Ibrahim Babangida said.
Another beneficiary, Hajiya Talatu Yusuf said the money she got from the sale of waste helped in upkeep of her family for at least two days.
While some made money, some residents claimed ignorance of the project, thereby urging that such project should be re-introduced so that they could contribute to the cleanliness and development of the state by selling their waste products. How waste turned to gold in Kaduna government in keeping the state clean. He however lamented that despite all efforts put in place, some residents of Tudun-Wada still dump their refuse indiscriminately. He therefore stressed the need for enforcement of environmental laws.
Also, a resident of Rigasa, Mohammed Danjuma stressed the need for re-orientation so that residents of the area can comply with the directive of dumping their refuse in designated areas where they can be collected.
“During the waste to cash project, everyone was guarding his/her refuse so that they don’t get stolen by anybody but now that there is no cash reward any longer, they have relaxed. Boys who push wheel barrows need to be educated on how best to dispose waste collected from houses for onward disposal to the dump site,” he said.
However, a waste management expert and Managing Director of ZL Global Alliance, Mrs. Abiola Bashorun, explained that the initial waste to cash programme was a Sallah bonanza to encourage people to bring out their Sallah residues as well as to assist children to earn some money. She added that another waste to cash programme would commence by November but that it will be carried out once in a month only on environmental sanitation days. The Sallah bonanza waste to cash project, she said was carried out in Kaduna and Zaria.
According to her, there are 37 transfer stations and collection points where people can dump their wastes for trucks to evacuate and take to the dump sites. She said the there were dump sites in Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan.
“In Kaduna, we have dump sites at Goningora and Buruku, in Kafanchan, we have dump sites at Zunuruk and Kaura Local Government Area and we also have Gwargwaji dump site and Birnin Gwari for Zaria and Sabon gari. We also cover Igabi and Chukun Local Government Areas of the state,” she said.
While she stressed the need for re-orientation of the people towards effective waste management and containerization from source, she said that waste containers would be provided throughout the state. She also said that there was need for enforcement and management of boys who push wheel barrows, as according to her, they collect wastes from different locations and dump them on streets indiscriminately.
To ensure compliance, she said the company in collaboration with the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Agency would soon launch two mobile waste courts for sanctions. “We are also working with the Kaduna State Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency (KASTELEA) to effect arrest of anyone caught dumping waste without bagging them in sacks or waste bags. We are going to build a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Kaduna.
Commenting on recycling of waste, she noted that soft plastics from sachet water and others would be recycled into bin bags or nylon bags for market women while hard ones from broken kegs or chairs would be recycled to dust bins. Also, the organic wastes from food debris, she said would be recycled into organic fertilizer trough composting while scrap metals would be sold to Panteka market for further fabrications.
The Commissioner for Environment, Shehu Balarabe Giwa, had in an interview disclosed the approval of three new standard refuse dump sites for construction in each of the three senatorial districts and 10 transfer stations at the cost of N675million to tackle the challenge of indiscriminate dumping of refuse, improve waste collection as well as help control flood in the state.
-Daily Trust
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