By Sunny A. David, Awka
Residents of Owelle Aja community in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, have expressed relief and appreciation following the evacuation of a long-standing refuse dumpsite that had remained a major environmental concern for about 12 years.
The clean-up exercise was undertaken by the Idemili North Local Government Council under the leadership of the Mayor, Hon. Stanley Nkwoka. The operation involved the deployment of an excavator and four tipper trucks to remove the massive volume of accumulated waste.
The dumpsite, located along MC King Lane, had occupied a significant portion of the road, making movement difficult and posing serious environmental and public health risks to residents. The ongoing evacuation has restored access to the area while improving its overall appearance.
Speaking during the exercise, Mayor Nkwoka condemned the indiscriminate disposal of refuse by some residents, revealing that the council had identified six major illegal dumpsites within the Owelle Aja community that require urgent attention.
He explained that the clean-up operation had been delayed due to poor access roads and the presence of low-hanging electricity poles and overhead wires, which made it difficult for heavy equipment to reach the affected locations.
According to the mayor, the council collaborated with landlords in the area to create access routes, enabling the successful deployment of heavy machinery for the evacuation.
Nkwoka assured residents that the local government would continue the exercise until all identified dumpsites in the community were cleared.
He also announced plans to engage landlords and tenants on proper waste management practices to prevent the re-emergence of illegal refuse dumps.
The mayor advised residents to properly bag their household waste and place it in front of their homes for collection by accredited waste management contractors.
He warned that anyone caught dumping refuse indiscriminately would face sanctions, including paying for the evacuation of the waste with two tipper trucks or possible legal action.
Residents who witnessed the exercise commended the council for responding to their concerns.
One of the landlords, Mazi Kelechi, attributed the prolonged existence of the dumpsite to disagreements among some property owners and expressed gratitude to the local government for intervening.
Other residents, including Mr. Chijioke Nweke and Mrs. Anthonia Isidiuko, said the evacuation had brought an end to years of environmental and health challenges caused by the accumulated waste.
They applauded the Idemili North Local Government for restoring access to the street and appealed for continuous monitoring to discourage indiscriminate waste disposal in the future.
