Cholera outbreak: Edo Assembly worries over indiscriminate dumping of refuse

Amid cholera outbreak in the country, the Edo State House of Assembly on Monday expressed worry over the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on major roads and drainages in the state.

DAILY POST reports that members of the House, expressed their worry while deliberating on a motion on a matter of public importance, moved by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Maria Edeko, (PDP, Esan North-East II).

The motion was titled, “A Motion Calling on the Local Government Chairmen, Edo State Waste Management Board, Ministry of Environment and Sustainability and Other Relevant Agencies in Edo State to Arrest the Menace of Indiscriminate Dumping of Refuse on Major Roads, Drains and in Authorized Places in Towns and Cities in Edo State.”

Edeko, who was the chief sponsor of the motion, noted that the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roads and drains constitutes a health hazard.

The motion was co-sponsored by 10 other lawmakers.

According to her, the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in sacks on the median of the major roads around Uromi main market, New Benin market, and other markets in the state constitutes a health hazard especially with the outbreak of cholera in some parts of the country.

“Furthermore, it causes emission of offensive odour; [it is] an eyesore and [it] reduces the aesthetic value of our towns and cities.

“The habit of dumping refuse and other waste materials indiscriminately in drainages obstructs free flow of flood and is a major cause of flooding and gully erosion in our villages, towns and cities,” she said.

The deputy speaker therefore called on the local government chairmen to build refuse dumpsites and set up monitoring teams to prevent the menace especially at night.

She also called on health officers in the state to carry out sensitisation of the people on the importance of proper waste disposal and keeping the environment clean.

The lawmakers unanimously supported the motion and called for the implementation of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise across the state.