Edo State Waste Management Board, saddled with the managing and disposal of wastes, yesterday said it had apprehended and prosecuted over 160 defaulters just as it noted that the board had put in place concrete measures against indiscriminate disposal of refuse.
The managing director of the board, Mr Lucky Enehita-Inegbenehi told newsmen in Benin City ahead of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s 100 days in office that the board had procured state of the art waste disposal equipment such as tippers, pay loaders and tractors in addressing challenges of waste management.
He blamed the non-effective disposal of waste on the doors of the waste managers attributing it to inefficiency and lack of capacity in carrying out their responsibility.
According to him, this failure has resulted in the termination of contracts of 13 waste managers with 50 others to follow.
He said on assumption of office, the Benin-Auchi, Benin -Agbor Road, market areas in New Benin, and Oba market which had heaps of refuse have been evacuated.
He also commended Governor Okpebholo for giving the board the free hand to carry out his agenda of ensuring a cleaner Edo State which he noted is in line with his vision for the state.
He said, “On assumption of office, we have been able to reverse the situation. We have purchased tippers, tractors and pay loaders. We also realised that Edo State is very dirty. For example, on Agbor Road, the median, Christ Chosen Church down to the bypass you would notice heaps of waste.
“But in January, we swung into action and we deployed our pay loaders and tippers to the same road. Also, the Benin-Auchi Road bypass and Benin-Agbor Road, the reverse is now the case. We have been able to evacuate the sands and debris also.
“But we have some issues with markets. However, markets are under the local government areas and communities. Since markets are not directly under us and in line with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s vision to make Edo clean, we approached the waste managers and gave them some kind of palliative for refuse evacuation by supporting them and today the markets are cleaned up on a daily basis.”
He added that as part of the plans to curb indiscriminate refuse, the agency deployed a roving team with cameras at black spots within the city as early as 2am where defaulters are apprehended and prosecuted.
“We have apprehended 160 offenders in less than three months; some of them are prosecuted for community service and fines. We have been able to cover all the black spots and we are working on others.”
He also disclosed that the government is to partner with experts from India towards establishing a waste recycling plant in the state.
