Heaps of refuse in Calabar defaces, threatens health of residence
Calabar metropolis before now was adjudged the cleanest state in Nigeria but is now gradually losing that “ Clean and Green” status in the environmental index as refuse heaps have taken over some major streets in the capital of Cross River State.
A survey by a LENS Reporter reveals that bad odour from refuse heaps on Bateba street adjacent to Calabar Preparatory School along Eta Agbor road pollutes the air and residents lament about the government’s neglect of one of its key responsibility which is maintaining the sanitary health of the environment.
Expressing displeasure over the palpable environmental hazard the people living or doing business in the vicinity may be exposed to, some traders at the Watt and Marian markets where hips of refuse are a common sight and in some instances impeding pedestrian movement wondered why the Calabar South local Council who collects tolls from the market has not seen the need to evacuate the waste saying that an epidemic is imminent if the filth is not evacuated quickly.
It would be recalled that the Press Secretary to the Governor Mr. Christian Ita had earlier said action has been taken to evacuate refuse in the metropolis before his principal went to contest for nomination in the ruling APC for the office of the president. The founder of an NGO Positive Gender Initiative, Ms. Magdalene Imo in a chart with LENS urged Governor Ben Ayade to impact the lives of the people through the instrumentality of his government.
LENS Reporter’s visit to the office of The Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Mfon Bassey for comment on the issue was not feasible at the time of filing this report.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
