In addition to taking tangible steps to stop careless garbage disposal around the state, the Edo State Waste Management Board declared on Friday that it had caught and convicted more than 160 defaulters for inappropriate waste disposal.
This was revealed in Benin by the board’s managing director, Lucky Inegbenehi, who said that offenders received fines or community service sentences in line with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration. In order to address issues in the industry, Inegbenehi disclosed that the board has purchased cutting-edge garbage disposal machinery, such as tippers, payloaders, and tractors.
He did, however, blame waste management inefficiencies on the failure of certain waste managers, noting that 37 contracts are currently being reviewed for potential disengagement and that 13 contracts have already been canceled.
He noted that upon assuming office, major roads such as Benin-Auchi and Benin-Agbor, as well as various markets across the state were littered with heaps of refuse, which have since been cleared.
Commending the state governor, Monday Okpebholo, for granting the board autonomy to execute its mandate, Inegbenehi said, “On assumption of office, we have been able to reverse the bad situation we met on the ground. We have purchased tippers, tractors, and payloaders. We also realised that the state was very dirty. For example, Agbor Road from Christ Chosen Church down to the bypass had heaps of waste.”
“But in January, we swung into action and deployed our pay loaders and tippers to the same road. Also, in the Benin-Auchi road bypass and Benin-Agbor road, as we speak, these places are clean. We have been able to evacuate the sand that had taken over the roads.”
Listing efforts of enforcing sanitation laws, he stated, “The board has apprehended and prosecuted over 160 defaulters in less than three months, and we have put in place concrete measures against indiscriminate disposal of refuse in the state.”
Addressing waste management in markets, he explained that while markets fall under local government authorities, the board has taken proactive steps to support refuse evacuation.
He said, “Markets are under the local government areas and communities. Since markets are not directly under us, but in line with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s vision to make Edo clean, we approached the waste managers and gave them subsidies and palliatives for refuse evacuation. With this support, the markets are now cleaned on a daily basis.”
Inegbenehi revealed that in an effort to further reduce careless trash dumping, the agency has sent out roaming squads equipped with cameras to target trouble sites throughout the city as early as two in the morning in order to catch and penalize violators.
Additionally, he revealed intentions to build a trash recycling factory in Edo State in collaboration with Indian specialists.
