Ado Ekiti: A State Capital littered with wastes and excreta
This is as a result of concentrated government presence, head of all state parastatals and private sectors. The commercial activities is another angle that makes the capital of any state different from any town or city as a large percentage of the population is found there. It is therefore, notable that any infrastructural development will take it's roots firmly as the town or city will surely play host to any important events or personalities. These activities explains why everything is always structured in any state capital to meet up with modern expectations.
A state capital is therefore expected to be neat, clean and its environment attractive. But reverse seems to be the case of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital where the town is littered with refuse,excreta and blocked gutters which has resulted in flood whenever it rains.
One wonders the effectiveness of the Ekiti state waste management board which has the sole responsibility of maintaining and ensuring a clean and healthy environment with customized pick up lorries going the length and breadth of Ado Ekiti to pack refuses deposited carelessly along major roads, markets and gutters in the state capita. But it appears the work is already overwhelming the board either because the town is too big to be managed or the board itself is being poorly managed as one or two waste vehicle is mostly seen parading the streets.
Some areas in Ado Ekiti are very worse and there maybe fears of break out of environmental diseases because of the very many risk the environment is posing to the residents of the area.
The Atikankan area is the worse hit with open defecation, indiscriminate dumping of waste and the unhygienic practises of the residents mainly the Hausa/Fulani's who had made the area their abode.
Approaching Atikankan or Isato Isale as fondly called, one can perceive the foul odour coming from the large drainage which comes from old garage through the market, Mosque to Atikankan and Ajilosun respectively. The mountain of refuse in this drainage which should ordinarily serve as erosion controller has blocked any possible free flow of erosion which most times result into flood affecting lots of places and sometimes flow out to the main road. One begins to wonder where the east management board visits or where the community health workers take as priority.
About two months ago, this reporter went to the office of the state waste management board to have a view of what actually is preventing the board to be effective in discharging its duties properly. But on getting there after going through a whole lots of stress to get through to one of the Directors of the Board who gave me an appointment with the sole administrator Mr. Bayo Keleku I was to meet with the biggest embarrassment of my life.
The sole administrator, Mr. bayo Keleku refused an interview and vehemently showed his intolerance to journalists. In his words " You journalists should go and write what you feel and I will write mine as well " no amount of explanation from me that my coming was in the interest of the board and the masses who are complaining bitterly that Ado Ekiti is far from being called a model city with the way wastes litters the every corner and streets. I was even prevented from taking pictures of waste lorries which were probably not in good condition even as they were lined up in front of the buildings.
Maybe this explains why the town is being filled up with refuses and garbage .
Till now, apart from the major roads Adebayo to Ajilosun to be precise there hardly is any street in Ado Ekiti that is free from this menace.
This is rather embarrassing for the state known as fountain of knowledge or Land of Honour depending as the case maybe. A visit to Oja Oba market, Olujoda, Ajilosun and the notoriously Atikankan and one begins to wonder if Government is effective in curbing the indiscriminate disposal of refuse in the state capital.
The Atikankan residents are found of defecating openly and still cook their food beside the refuse with reckless abandon, I was lucky not to have my phone broken as I tried to take pictures of people defecating openly in the gutters.
I have tried unsuccessfully to get across to the community health workers on why Atikankan and some areas are always bypassed whenever a monthly sanitation exercises that always receives loud ovations on radios, television and other media outlets takes place.
It is not enough to speak on air but also enforce it even if it means going down to this aforementioned area to take a look at how worse things have become.
If drastic actions are not taken, the consequences ranging from flood and break out of environmental Diseases maybe inevitable.
Idowu Adebomi
Ado Ekiti
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