Elder Statesman Applauds Delta Waste Board, Urges Stricter Enforcement

THE Delta State Waste Management Board (DSWMB) has received commendation for its effective efforts in curbing indiscriminate refuse dumping in Asaba, the state capital.

Mr. Jerome Onyenwiha, a retired civil servant and organic health products dealer on Ibusa Road, praised the Board for transforming the city’s cleanliness. He noted that Ibusa Road and other strategic areas, once littered with waste, now see daily evacuation of refuse by Board officials and their trucks.

Onyenwiha acknowledged that while some residents still dump refuse at unauthorized spots, the menace has been reduced to a minimum—no small feat given the city’s growing population. He urged households and businesses yet to register with Private Sector Participants (PSPs) to do so for the sake of public health and environmental sustainability.

The elder statesman, however, raised concerns over blocked drains caused by improper waste disposal, linking the city’s flooding during rainfall to the practice. He also criticized delays in evacuating mud and debris from de-silted drains, warning that they often wash back into drainage channels.

Onyenwiha further condemned the habit of motorists and tricycle operators littering streets with food wraps, drink cans, and plastic waste. He called for offenders to face penalties as a deterrent.

Emphasizing that enforcement should not stop at Asaba, he urged stricter application of environmental laws across Delta State, especially in his hometown, Agbor.

Meanwhile, the DSWMB continued its weekend evacuation exercise along the Asaba-Benin Expressway, between the airport axis and Koka junction, under the supervision of Evelyn Orisewezie.