Residents groan under overflowing ‘hazardous’ wastes bins in Gwarinpa

By Stanley Onyekwere

Some residents of Gwarinpa, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed serous concern over swelling hazardous materials from mega wastes bins, notorious for overflowing into the major roads in the area.
In particular, the concerned residents claimed that the situation has subjected most residents to nightmarish experience especially those living and traversing the ever busy 3rd Avenue of Gwarinpa Estate on a daily basis.
While attributing the situation to the ineffective and epileptic wastes evacuation mechanism, residents called for urgent intervention of the relevant agencies of FCT Administration to end the seemingly reoccurring menace, which portends serious mortal dangers to people in the area.
They are concerned that the unattended to decaying wastes bins contaminate not just the air but also block drainage system there, which portends mortal danger to the survival of residents in the area.
Checks revealed that huge garbage accumulated and kept inside two roll-n-roll bins (serving as Central wastes collection point) for residents in the area almost always are usually filled to the brim, especially at weekends with overflowing dirt taking over a portion of the road.
For a cross section of residents in separate interviews in the area, who bitterly complained that if nothing is done now before the full rainy season, the area will not only become an eyesore to behold, but hazardous to them.
They however, made a passionate appeal to the government at various levels to urgently come to their aide, before it’s too late to handle the situation.
They also called on non-governmental organizations to help provide wastes containers not just there area but other areas that have cases like theirs.
Narrating the almost hopeless situation, a resident in the area, Chinedu James, said the situation daily subjects people in the area to nightmarish experiences especially during weekends and public holidays, when heaps of refuse are allowed to swell and litter the public space.
The visibly disturbed resident, revealed that during rainy season, smell from the overflowing wastes bins increases and because the dump area is surrounded by market and shanties off the main link road within the estate.
He opined that although most residents are responsible for generating the garbage that are scattered all over the road, it was not entirely their making, as wastes evacuation seems to be epileptic.
Another resident, Ayodele Mark, was of the view that the fact that wastes collection point is situated by major entrance to Gwarinpa village and very close to the road and drainage channel linking the Estate itself is bad, thereby making the sight very irritating.
“Garbage smells are generated by growth of bacteria, because of obvious high concentration of bacteria and bugs in this area inhaling air can be harmful to the public health.
“This, can cause ailments like; respiratory infection, allergies, induced nausea and vomiting. Also, its negative effect has a bearing on our physical, social and outlook of the nation’s capital city.”
Similar, a trader who resides inside Gwarinpa village, who simply identified herself as Mama Chichi said there is always unpleasant feeling waiting to board a cab at a buststop near the wastes collection point, as many are forced to hold breathe, so as not to inhale the terrible smell oozing from there.
By and large, the residents therefore made a passionate appeal to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and other relevant environmental authorities to swiftly fix the problem, by earmarking more centre wastes collection points within the estate, to meet the increasing wastes generation in the area.
They also suggested making available more roll-roll bins for wastes to disposed and evacuated promptly and regularly, thereby reducing the chance of the wastes encroaching on the roads and causing untold discomfort to people in the area.