The Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’Foundation (HURIDE) have called on Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Emeka Orji, to draft his men to evacuate refuses that litter the streets and roads in the Council area.
The groups in a statement issued by High Chief Dede Uzor A. Uzor, chairman of CD in the South East and Executive Director of (HURIDE) said the refuse worsened the poor environment and “no drinking water” in the Local Government.
They described the refuse as not only an eyesore to behold, but constitute health hazard to the residents of the area.
The statement partly reads, “If the Local Government chairman does not make haste to clear the dirt, epidemics of unimaginable proportion might soon befall the people. The stench alone oozing out from the dirt is enough to send people packing.
“The Local Government boss was the one who issued directives that the residents should clear the drainage system in front of their houses, and bag them, while they would come and evacuate them.
“Unfortunately, for several weeks after the residents had complied with the directive, the dirt is still littered on the streets with some of them getting back into the drainage system.
“This, amounts to a waste of efforts and resources of the residents in the Local Government and would further block the free flow of movement of the drainage system.”
Uzor listed some of the areas where the refuse was littered to include Zik Ave, Mbonu Ojike, Uga Street, Uzodinma Street, Bida Street, and all nooks and crannies of Fegge Housing Estate among other places.
“Onitsha South is becoming the worst and dirtiest in the State. We call on the Local Government chairman to step up the clearing of the refuse so that they would not return back to the drainage system and block its free flow now that rainy season is around the corner.
“We call on Chief Orji to return the Local Government to the era when the streets were being swept daily and constitute her own local traffic control officials like Onitsha North therefore engaging the youths in meaningfully and productively
“We also call on the chairman to prevail on the traders of Bridgehead Market doing business along the newly reconstructed Porthacourt Road and Uga Street not to use iron rods to destroy the new road.
“We however commend Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his efforts to resurface Anàmbra State roads which Onitsha South has tremendously benefitted.
“But like Oliver Twist, we want more of such reconstruction of key roads in Fegge like Uga Street, Bida Road, Balewa Street and others,” Uzor advised.
