Residents of Sabo-Oke, Ilupeju community in the Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara, have appealed to the state government to help in proper refuse collection and disposal in the area.
They made the call over health hazard and traffic danger being posed by a government refuse disposal truck allegedly abandoned in the community.
The Chairman of the community development association, Mr Joseph Afolabi, decried the development, saying relevant authorities had failed to remove the vehicle despite repeated calls.
Represented by the Public Relations Officer of the community, Mr Taiwo Ajibola, the chairman noted that some residents had started dumping refuse inside the abandoned refuse disposal truck.
Afolabi lamented that the truck had been abandoned on the roadside for more than two weeks.
He said that the vehicle constituted health hazard to members of the community as there are food sellers near the vehicle.
Ajibola, who sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to the concerned authorities, said that the abandoned refuse disposal truck had caused road accidents because it is obstructing pedestrians and motorists clear view of the road.
“We discovered that the Kwara State Ministry of Environment’s waste management board vehicle broke down here almost two weeks now.
“We don’t know the technical problems but the people affected said they had been here to fix it more than two times without success.
“We have intensified efforts to reach out to them. We have been to the director, we suggested to them that they should come and help us tow it out of this place.
“Also, some people in the community have been to the Ministry of Environment to go and see the commissioner. They said they would come and tow it and this is almost 10 days now.
“We want the government of Kwara state to help us look into this matter. We want the government of Kwara state to come and save our souls here.
“This has polluted the air around here. Moreso, there are food canteens located where the refuse disposal truck had broken down and it has also caused accident twice.
“The fear is that it can lead to unrest in the community. It can be used by evil minded people to perpetrate their evil deeds. The government should please look into the matter and come to our aid,” he said.
Also speaking, the Youth Leader in the community, Mr Femi Thomas, solicited the government intervention to prevent further mishaps.
“There was an accident that happened three days ago due to inability of motorists to see the other side of the road. The abandoned truck is also close to a school. They should please help us to remove the waste disposal truck from the community,” he urged.
On his part, the Chairman, Environmental Committee of Sabo-Oke Community, Mr Mutiu Tijani, also pleaded with the state government to evacuate the refuse disposal truck out of the community.
