The Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Mrs. Kate Ocheze Ogbonna, has charged waste management and cleaning contractors operating in the Federal Capital City to improve their performance and ensure prompt evacuation of refuse across the territory.
In a statement signed by the Board’s Head of Information, Janet Peni, Ogbonna issued the directive during an interactive meeting with contractors at the AEPB headquarters in the Central Business District, following reports of lapses in waste collection and sanitation operations.
She said routine monitoring by supervisors revealed shortcomings in service delivery, stressing that contractors must adhere strictly to operational guidelines. “The reports at my disposal from our supervisors are not encouraging. This meeting is to properly educate and guide them on the full weight of their duties as waste managers and evacuators. There are standards expected of them,” she stated.
Ogbonna noted that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had been prompt in settling contractors’ payments, leaving no justification for poor performance. She urged contractors to procure necessary equipment and engage more personnel to meet their obligations.
Addressing indiscriminate dumping of construction waste, she said the Board was collaborating with the Department of Development Control to ensure proper disposal. She also urged residents and businesses to support waste management efforts by paying sanitation bills promptly and providing adequate bins suitable for the volume of waste generated.
“Waste management is capital-intensive. Residents must also play their part. You cannot owe sanitation bills and expect efficient waste evacuation. Likewise, using a single household bin for a block of flats will inevitably lead to overflow and environmental pollution,” she explained.
The Director of Solid Waste Management (North), Mr. Benjamin Enwerem, identified illegal night trading and roadside parties as growing challenges, noting that they generate large volumes of waste and create illegal dump sites. He assured that enforcement task forces would be deployed to tackle the issue.
Despite challenges, Enwerem said contractors’ performance had improved compared to the previous year due to the engagement of additional personnel.
Chairman of the Association of Solid Waste Contractors, Mallam Ibrahim Babayo, commended the Board for the interactive session, pledging that contractors would acquire modern equipment, employ more personnel, and increase the frequency of waste collection across the city.
By Eunice Orike, Abuja
