 |
Calabar, the Capital city of Cross River State once known to be the cleanest city in Nigeria has gradually joined the league of the dirtiest city in Africa.
Residents now wake up to meet heaps of refuse almost at every corner of the streets with foul odour saturating the entire environment.
This unhealthy, unhygienic situation has caused many to raise eyebrows, while social media set agog as citizens have complained and petitioned both international and local news houses making the dirty state of Calabar a burning conversation.
In all these, the government of the day seem to be handicapped in finding a permanent solution to waste evacuation as it has done little or nothing to reverse the situation.
This condition has led the Royal fathers, the Landlords and the owners of Calabar to lend their voice.
The Palace of the Obong of Calabar sent out a press statement addressing the unexplainable situation Calabar has been subjected to.
The statement reads in full:
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE OBONG OF CALABAR EXECUTIVE FORUM, OCEF, ON THE CONTINUED POOR STATE OF REFUSE EVACUATION IN CALABAR
The Obong of Calabar Executive Forum, OCEF, has expressed displeasure at the continued piling up of refuse on the streets of Calabar, the state capital.
In a statement in Calabar, signed by the chairman of the OCEF, Chief Gershom Henshaw and the secretary, Dr Maurice Ekpeyong, called on the relevant government agencies to as a matter of urgency embark on the immediate evacuation of the refuse which has continued to pose a health danger to the public and likely to lead to an outbreak of epidemic in Calabar.
The OCEF, described the prolonged refuse evacuation crisis in Calabar as totally unacceptable, especially for a city known globally as one of the cleanest in the country and a preferred tourism destination.
The forum noted that the refuse heaps in some areas have blocked traffic flow as well as entrances of residents to their houses, with emanating stench polluting the environment, thereby exposing the public to untold hardship and sickness.
The OCEF called for regular, prompt and sufficient funding for the waste management agency and other relevant government agencies saddled with the responsibility of waste management in the state to reverse this ugly trend which has lingered for some time now.
The OCEF, advised the public to cooperate with the government to keep the environment clean always, especially as the Christmas season is fast approaching with the expected influx of visitors into the state, adding that environmental sanitation should be prioritized at all times for the well-being of the people.
Pictures of some dirty sites currently captured:
========================================
Disclaimer
This article and all it's accompanying graphics does not in any where represents the views of this paper as there remain the views, thoughts and expression of the author. TDN will not and should not be held liable of any consequence thereafter
0 comments: