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By Emma Sunday
The Rivers State Waste Management Agency, RIWAMA, said it is partnering with the Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, in renewed efforts to tackle sanitation challenges and restore the state’s Garden City status.
The Managing Director of RIWAMA, Dr. Ibimina Wokoma, announced the partnership on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the Rivers State PCRC Secretariat at the Police Officers Mess, Port Harcourt.
Dr. Wokoma, represented by the RIWAMA’s Supervisor of Market and Community Sanitation, Mr. Ukoha Omereji, said the Agency will leverage the PCRC’s grassroots structure to drive public enlightenment and enforcement against indiscriminate waste disposal across the state.
“We are here to partner with the PCRC to ensure a cleaner Rivers State. Our desire is to restore the lost glory and Garden City status of Rivers State. The Managing Director, working closely with the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Samuel Wanosike, remains committed to ensuring Port Harcourt becomes cleaner.
“We see the PCRC as a strategic partner to achieve this because of its strong grassroots presence across the state,” he stated.
The RIWAMA boss attributed recurring flooding in areas such as New GRA to indiscriminate refuse dumping, blocked drainage channels, and illegal roadside trading and shanties.
He urged residents to take responsibility for waste disposal and desist from erecting illegal structures in front of homes.
“When property owners allow illegal structures to be erected in front of their houses for commercial activities, refuse is often dumped into drainage channels, causing blockages and flooding. Residents should take responsibility for ensuring proper waste disposal within their environment,” he said.
He also warned against patronizing unregistered waste cart pushers, describing it as an offence under the Rivers State Waste Management Agency Law of 2014.
He added that RIWAMA is extending the sensitization to communities, markets, institutions, and security formations, with Divisional Police Officers expected to be involved in the campaign, declaring that it will no longer be business as usual.
“Both the cart pusher and anyone who patronises them are committing an offence under the RIWAMA Act. Residents should engage only registered waste service providers approved by the agency.
“We are engaging communities, institutions, market associations, government agencies and security formations because environmental sanitation is everyone’s responsibility. Wherever there are police divisions, the Divisional Police Officers will also be involved in these sensitisation programmes,” he added.
Responding, the Rivers State PCRC Chairman, Dr. Voke Emore, thanked RIWAMA for the partnership and assured the committee’s full support for RIWAMA’s campaign to achieve a cleaner state.
Dr. Emore expressed concern over the indiscriminate dumping of refuse across the state, including in Government Residential Areas, GRA, stating that “the situation is posing serious health hazards in the state.
“I am always worried seeing refuse dumped carelessly across all parts of the state. Sanitation-wise, Rivers State, especially Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and the GRA, is supposed to be a better place than what it is today,” he said.
The PCRC Chairman called for adequate empowerment of RIWAMA’s enforcement unit with vehicles, personnel and logistics, by the state government, noting that local government councils must also play a leading role in achieving a cleaner Rivers state since they already collect sanitation levies from traders in their areas especially in the markets.
“The sanitation authority has a police unit attached to it, but government must adequately empower the unit with vehicles, personnel and other operational tools. Effective enforcement depends on proper funding and logistics. Just as PHED enjoys the support of the Nigeria Police Force, government can also strengthen RIWAMA’s enforcement capacity.
“We have also noticed that local governments collect sanitation levies from traders in the markets and across their areas. They should be principal partners with RIWAMA in ensuring proper waste disposal because effective enforcement cannot be achieved without their support.
Dr. Emore said activities of scavengers and indiscriminate waste disposal in the state requires emergency, adding that it also aids crime, as refuse heaps provide cover for criminal activities.
The PCRC Chairman also called for the engagement of professional and committed sanitation marshals to checkmate scavengers and offenders, and for proper orientation of waste managers to prevent bagged refuse from being scattered, advising that offenders should be punished.
“Strong sanitation laws with strict penalties for offenders must be made and implemented. Local governments should also be more responsible for cleaning markets, since traders claim they pay sanitation levies to the councils but the markets remain dirty,” Emore stated.
Emore urged the agency to work closely with market associations, community and youth leaders, as key partners, provide more government-approved dump sites, replace damaged refuse boxes and receptacles, and clearly mark all dump sites across the state, and also consider a reward system for clean communities.
He maintained that all hands must be on deck to achieve a cleaner Rivers State. “Everyone has a role to play because waste is generated in every home and community. We have witnessed a rise in health-related issues which may be linked to poor waste management. The situation is not only about the health, it also contributes to crime prevention, as heaps of refuse sometimes provide cover for criminal activities,” he added.
He assured that the PCRC, with it’s wide grassroots presence, will deploy its structures in all local government areas to carry out widespread publicity, campaigns, and public orientation on waste-to-wealth and proper waste management practices, in support of RIWAMA’s goal of a cleaner Rivers State.
“We have structures in virtually all local government areas and communities. We will educate residents on the dangers of poor waste disposal and support RIWAMA’s efforts in creating a cleaner Rivers State,” he said.
