Gov Orji sets Aba free

• Rids the city of waste
From MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia
Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Before now, what first meets the eye of any visitor to Aba , the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, were the mountains of refuse that lined up the major streets. At a point, it became an embarrassment to both the government and the people as anyone approaching Aba, especially from the Port Harcourt end had to hold his breath because of the stench from Osisioma dump up to one kilometer from the site.


The combined effort of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) that donated dozens of refuse receptacles and the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) could not arrest the situation. The immediate past administration imported refuse equipment and trucks to give the hydra-headed monster a tackle, but could not do much before it left.

A new dawn

All these are fast becoming history with the war Governor T.A. Orji declared on environment. Orji had initiated environmental friendly policies that first strengthened the state environmental agency, ASEPA.

To the ASEPA General Manager and Chief Executive, Dr. Cosmas Ndukwe, it was no more business as usual. He had mobilized his men to fight the filthy environment. Clearing of the refuse hills became a daily affair with the governor himself having frequent unscheduled visits to the dump sites. He soon gave order for the closure of the dump sites on the expressway, including the Ubakala dump site and declared a state of emergency on the vexing Osisioma Ngwa final dump site.

On September 1, 2007, the Osisioma dump site was handed over to Phoenix Environmental Services Nigeria Ltd to manage. Phoenix, in 2006, signed a tripartite agreement with the Federal and state government to manage refuse disposal and recycling in Aba. While the Federal Government was to play a monitoring role, the state had 20 per cent equity share while Phoenix had 80 per cent.

The management of the dump site was given to Phoenix to manage temporarily till when it completes its recycling plant sitting on a 100-hectare land at Akpa Mbator in ObiNgwa Local Government, which is to serve as the final dump site for all refuse generated from the commercial city.

According to Phoenix Managing Director, Mr. Norton E. Jessup, once it took over the site, it went into action, mobilized men and equipment, adding that they have succeeded in pushing back the refuse from the road out into the burrow pit, and created avenue for trucks carrying refuse to drive deep into the dump and offload their (goods) unlike before when they were compelled to dump them at the periphery, from where they spilled over to the road almost blocking it.

Governor Orji, who paid regular visits to the dump site because of his concern for a clean environment, ordered that it be fenced off and the outside sand-filled to the level of the road and later grassed. With that done, the war on the Osisioma dump site is 80 per cent won as the stench and nuisance from it have been dealt a heavy blow.

The Expressway median within Osisioma junction that suffered indiscriminate dumping of refuse has been eliminated by fencing it off with a metal barrier. Though some unscrupulous individuals have broken through some of them, the environment has improved considerably. Perhaps, the greatest magic that would surprise those who visited Aba before August, last year is the disappearance of the mountains of refuse rising by the sides of the refuse bins all the way from Ikot-Ikpene-Aba Road to Owerri-Aba Road and Port Harcourt Road and Asa Road. While the giant bins are still there, they are virtually empty and without refuse. Thanks to the regular evacuation, which a Phoenix staff called C and D, acronym for clearing and disposal.

Sustaining the new look

It is not enough to ask residents not to litter the streets; they have to be provided with receptacles to throw in their light waste. These, Phoenix and ASEPA have provided. For the first time in the history of the state, standing bins for light wastes have been put in place in the two cities of Aba and Umuahia, where people can throw in pure water cellophanes, banana peels and such other things instead of throwing them indiscriminately in the gutter. They are placed within reasonable intervals that nobody would be tempted to litter the streets and, beautifully too.

Street sweepers employed by the First Inland Bank Plc, ANSEPA, Phoenix, Aba South and North local government councils now sweep the streets on a daily basis. In addition, Phoenix and ASEPA have mounted vigorous campaigns in the audio media and television to enlighten the public on the appropriate ways of disposing of their refuse, using the receptacles and the bins.

“We have held meetings with the market unions, and other stakeholders in the city and their response have been very encouraging. I commend Aba residents. They are learning fast because it is not easy to change the mentality of a people.”

This is an industrial and commercial city that is always in a haste and inpatient to throw away their wastes in far distance.”

Apart from the refuse, the numerous motor parks called (Pits) that blocked traffic from Industry Road through Asa Road have for the first time been sanitized.

The removal of scraps-vehicular and others from some parts of the city is most commendable even as Phoenix said they are using persuasive approach to urge owners of the heavy trucks and scraps along Port Harcourt Road to remove them.

When this is finally done as it would soon be, Aba would wear its original look as one of the few cities that have a master plan in the country.

For Governor Orji, the Aba environment is holistic and includes roads, drainages and aesthetics. After a road inspection of Aba , which has almost become a regular feature, he said that the drainage problem of Aba would be tackled once and for all, along with roads that would be rehabilitated. Some of the roads contracts have been awarded.

From filth to wealth

The massive attack on filth in Aba would apart from providing a healthy environment, provides jobs and foreign exchange.

According to the Phoenix chief executive, the recycling plant, when fully operational which may not be more than three months from now, the 750 metric tons of wastes generated daily would be recycled to produce between 1.4 million to 1.7 million metric tons of fertilizer.

It would also produce rubber crumbs, and methane gas as different particles from the dumps are separated.

The project, the first in sub-Saharan Africa which would be replicated in other states, is expected to cost $350 million during the 30 years Phoniex would manage it before handing it over, while at its present stage it has gulped over $5 million.

Yessup said that once the state government paid the compensation to the landowners and issued it with C of O, major shipment of the equipment it requires would come in.

He commended the governor for his unusual interest in the whole project of giving Aba a clean environment while also commending the host community of the plant for bearing with them as negotiations went on with the government.


http://odili.net/news/source/2008/feb/6/504.html

Is that all?

This will be a plus for some Aba residents and Nigerians who are easily deceived. To me, its not enough to appear in the dailies.

I thought the topic was going to talk about how the govt has been able to give Aba a new look; not only clearing the dirt, but also beautifying it; constructing new power plants, built low cost houses, made health care and education affordable and efficient among others.

These new guys has started playing with our brains again.

nuzo:

Is that all?

This will be a plus for some Aba residents and Nigerians who are easily deceived. To me, its not enough to appear in the dailies.

I thought the topic was going to talk about how the govt has been able to give Aba a new look; not only clearing the dirt, but also beautifying it; constructing new power plants, built low cost houses, made health care and education affordable and efficient among others.

These new guys has started playing with our brains again.

You hit the nail on the head there. People who are easily deceived. Wait a while, and we might see some of them trooping over praising the man and saying things like they know he is a good man at heart and what not , LMAO!!!!

i knocked on the wrong door.

When did cleaning of ones house became a reason for cheap propaganda?

Is he not ashamed of his house being dirty? All these educated illiterates we have as governors are sick!!

I heard so much about "Ebeano Tunnel" in Enugu and the way Obasanjo exclaimed that Enugu is "working" after commissioning the project, but i got the shock of my life when i saw that hole called tunnel for the first time and i began to wonder if we'll ever have intelligent leaders in this country ever?

All these petty propaganda should stop immediately!! Part of his work is to keep Abia state clean everyday and not on the Newspapers

I stay in aba and i must tell you that since T.A Orji aka Thief After Orji inherited abia governorship from his godfather orji uzo kalu he hasnt done anything here. Our roads has turned to gutters. He hasnt done anything here. May God punish him and may all the sufferings of the residents of aba be heaped on him from his generation to generation. I have spoken.

Is Fox road still a mess?? I can not believe how Aba, over the years became gutter city and governor after governor makes the same claim of making the roads better but each one comes and goes without accomplishing much and you wonder why we continue to accept such nonsense year after year.

Kobojunkie:

Is Fox road still a mess?? I can not believe how Aba, over the years became gutter city and governor after governor makes the same claim of making the roads better but each one comes and goes without accomplishing much and you wonder why we continue to accept such nonsense year after year.

Yall Faulks still in mess not fox road boy. I can see now that u've traveled outside you cant even spell naija stuffs correctly. Abey fox full for the place u dey stay.

Phoenix is self-service buddy, come see for ursef, the city is still littered with all kinds of rubbish all over.

bigmodo:

Yall Faulks still in mess not fox road boy. I can see now that u've traveled outside you can't even spell naija stuffs correctly. Abey fox full for the place u dey stay.

I have always called it fox road. I remember how terrible those roads were. Even worse where the roads at the market near the University Hospital there. That place was bad even for college students to hang out.

Bigmodo, sorry to present another view, but I think U could do with a little more of positivism here. U've not been able to counter point by point, the issues raised by Germannig.

AlfaPrime:

Bigmodo, sorry to present another view, but I think You could do with a little more of positivism here. You've not been able to counter point by point, the issues raised by Germannig.

hehehehe. . .that is funny

Word to Durkheim

You must be a governor

AlfaPrime:

Bigmodo, sorry to present another view, but I think You could do with a little more of positivism here. You've not been able to counter point by point, the issues raised by Germannig.

If I see gutter all around me do you think I will be doing the right thing trying to convince people otherwise instead of speaking out against the appalling situation in which I find myself at the time?? It is one thing to be positive and another to be completely stupid. Even as we stand as patriotic Nigerians, we should not forget that we are human beings with rights and freedoms and needs first and Nigerians second.

romeo:

When did cleaning of ones house became a reason for cheap propaganda?

Is he not ashamed of his house being dirty? All these educated illiterates we have as governors are sick!!

I heard so much about "Ebeano Tunnel" in Enugu and the way Obasanjo exclaimed that Enugu is "working" after commissioning the project, but i got the shock of my life when i saw that hole called tunnel for the first time and i began to wonder if we'll ever have intelligent leaders in this country ever?

All these petty propaganda should stop immediately!! Part of his work is to keep Abia state clean everyday and not on the Newspapers

Right on target, I can't understand the essence of big billboards showing 'dividends of democracy' around our cities. They are really 'educated illiterates'

@Kobojunkie
No, not against freedom of speech at all, just that we should also learn to appreciate good things when they eventually happen. though am very far from being a politician, one thing av realised about the game is that they don't usually wait for anyone to blow their trumpet for them, they must blow it themselves. Take a look at the American politics, they're still arguing about shameful things like health policies and slum landlords and all. If dirty environment is a problem in Aba and a gov is now tackling it and decides to make it breaking news, then so be it!

Cheers.

AlfaPrime:

@Kobojunkie
No, not against freedom of speech at all, just that we should also learn to appreciate good things when they eventually happen. though am very far from being a politician, one thing av realised about the game is that they don't usually wait for anyone to blow their trumpet for them, they must blow it themselves. Take a look at the American politics, they're still arguing about shameful things like health policies and slum landlords and all. If dirty environment is a problem in Aba and a gov is now tackling it and decides to make it breaking news, then so be it!

Cheers.

You were almost making a point until when you compared disposing of few tonnes of refuse to debate on US health policies.

Orji made morckery of Abia people by calling for a press conference only to announce how he disposed his trash can from his wife's kitchen.

AlfaPrime:

@Kobojunkie
No, not against freedom of speech at all, just that we should also learn to appreciate good things when they eventually happen. though am very far from being a politician, one thing av realised about the game is that they don't usually wait for anyone to blow their trumpet for them, they must blow it themselves. Take a look at the American politics, they're still arguing about shameful things like health policies and slum landlords and all. If dirty environment is a problem in Aba and a gov is now tackling it and decides to make it breaking news, then so be it!

Cheers.

OH MY GOSH!!! We have had this sort of things happen over and over and watched it all end the same way in the past, what makes you think this time around when people see the same patterns they should cheer instead?? Come on, We are speaking of Nigeria here. The Americans have earned the right to bicker over whatever it is they want to, heck all you need to do is change the channel here and you will not hear of it. Infact, many americans will tell you pop and plain that no matter who is elected next, their lives will still go good regardless. That can not be said about most of Nigeria, every single decision and move made by the government affects the average nigerian in one way or another and these people are tired of seeing the same old and be expected to praise and tell stroke the egos of these governors. I for one would understand why anyone who has lived in Aba would know not to jump to praising this man can Aba's problem is not just dirty environments. The roads, erosion, electricity, water, I mean the list goes on. So if a governor comes in to clean up a place ( something that most of those in the past have done over and over), don't fault the people for saying "OH NO, NOT AGAIN!!!".