By Julius Nsikak
As Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, marks three years in office and gradually enters the fourth year of his administration, mounting heaps of refuse across major parts of Uyo are raising serious concerns about environmental sanitation and public health in the state capital.
Along the busy Mayflower axis on Oron Road, directly beside Saint James African Church Primary School, Okopedi Itiam Ikot Ebia, Uyo, large piles of decomposing waste now line the roadside and spill into drainage channels, creating an eyesore and exposing residents, commuters, traders and schoolchildren to offensive odour and possible health hazards.
The situation has continued unchecked despite the strategic importance of the area, which serves as a major route within the city and experiences heavy vehicular and human traffic daily.
Observations by this reporter showed that refuse, including food remnants, plastics, nylon waste and other household debris, had taken over sections of the roadside and gutters surrounding the school environment. During periods of traffic congestion, motorists, passengers and pedestrians are forced to endure the stench emanating from the dumpsite.
The development has further exposed growing concerns over waste evacuation and environmental management in the state capital, especially as many areas reportedly lack adequate waste receptacles and regular refuse collection.
Residents who spoke with this reporter blamed the worsening condition on what they described as negligence by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment, the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, AKSEPWMA, as well as the indiscriminate disposal habits of some residents.
Mr Ukeme Udofia, a resident within the area, described the situation as both disturbing and dangerous.
“Children attend that school almost every weekday. Teachers, motorists, traders and pedestrians all pass through this environment daily. The smell and health implications are enormous. Yet nobody seems to care,” he said.
He lamented the absence of waste bins and accused the relevant authorities of failing to respond proactively to the growing sanitation crisis.
“There are no receptacles here, and even where people dump refuse, evacuation is irregular. Residents are abandoned to live with this filth while government attention appears focused more on politics and elections,” he added.
Another resident, Mr Joseph Essang, who lives directly opposite the school, said the situation had become unbearable for families and business owners in the area.
“We wake up every morning to the sight and smell of decaying refuse. Flies invade our homes and businesses. During rainfall, the gutters overflow because they are blocked with waste. The situation has also attracted mentally unstable persons who now gather around the dumpsite, making the area unsafe and insecure for residents. This is no longer just environmental negligence. It is a public health and security concern,” he stated.
Ms Edikan Edet, who also resides within the neighbourhood, expressed fears over the impact of the refuse dump on schoolchildren and residents.
“This is happening beside a primary school where young children learn every day. It is shameful that such a place has been abandoned like this in a state capital that prides itself as one of the cleanest in Nigeria,” she said.
She called on the state government to immediately evacuate the refuse and establish a sustainable waste management system across Uyo.
Environmental observers say the growing heaps of refuse in strategic parts of Uyo raise critical questions about sanitation enforcement, urban planning and the effectiveness of agencies responsible for environmental protection in Akwa Ibom State.
With Governor Umo Eno now entering the fourth year of his administration amid continued celebrations of his achievements in office, many residents insist that restoring environmental sanity in Uyo should become an urgent priority before the waste crisis degenerates into a full-scale public health disaster.
