ASEPA to sustain drainage desilting to forestall flooding in Aba

The ongoing desilting of drainages in Aba and its environs, would be sustained to forestall flooding in the in the commercial city, says Roland Nwakanma, deputy general manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA). The view was also reiterated by Aba and Environs, a State agency responsible for the management of refuse and other environmental issues.

Nwakanma in an exclusive interview with BuisnessDay in Aba, applauded resident’s for supporting the project, which he observed has so far kept Aba flood free, despite the heavy rains, noting that ASEPA is determined to keep Aba clean, all year long.

He also appealed to them not to wait for sanitation days to tidy up their environment. “We have provided receptacles all over the town and we expect residents to take their refuse to the disposal points at the approved time of 5.00pm to 9.00pm, daily.

He however frowned at the nonchalant attitude of some youths in the area, who rather than join in the monthly sanitation exercise, prefer to play street football, noting that the agency would no longer tolerate such acts.

Meanwhile the agency is collaborating with the Ministry of Environment, its supervisory ministry and the Aba South Local Government, to educate residents on the need for them to maintain a clean environment.

Okereke Christopher Okafor, director, environmental health, Ministry of Environment and Solid Mineral Development, Aba Zone, observed that people are buying into the intention of the State Government to keep their environments clean.

He advised Aba residents to continue to abide by the instructions of the Ministry and ASEPA.

According to him, “We have been telling them that a clean environment keeps away diseases, like malaria and typhoid. They should always keep their environments clean; they should not be forced to keep their environments clean; they should not be forced to do it, rather they should make it a habit”.

Chukwudi Dike, transition committee (TC) chairman, Aba South Local Government Area, explained that the Council is collaborating with the State Government and ASEPA to ensure that Aba is cleaned up.

He stated that Aba is no longer on the list of dirty towns in the country, which he attributed to reforms initiated by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, in his days at ASEPA.

In his words, “Governor Ikpeazu in his days as the deputy general manager of ASEPA, Aba and Environs, introduced measures that improved sanitation in Aba, and his successor Roland Nwakanma is sustaining that initiative and that is why Aba is wearing a new look and the Aba South Local Government is collaborating with them to ensure that we sustain that effort.

Before now everybody was at liberty to dispose-off refuse at unauthorized places, but it is no longer business as usual. We now have periods when people can bring out their refuse to ASEPA receptacles.

As a commercial city, there is the tendency that the city will be littered with refuse and that is why we have deployed trucks to help the agency to clear debris generated from the city centre.