The Oyo State Government on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 prohibited private sector operators (PSP) on waste collection from collecting fees from their clients.
Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Lateef Oyeleke, who announced this in a statement in Ibadan, the state capital, also said that all the dump sites in Ibadan, such as Lapite, Aba-Eku and Ajakanga, had been closed with immediate effect.
Oyeleke said that this was part of the new solid waste management policy introduced by the state government to ensure safer environment.
According to him, the new solid waste architecture is aimed at focusing on attaining an all-round sustainable environment that will improve the social wellbeing of the people of the state.
“All households, facility owners, private, commercial industries, religious houses and other institutions have been advised not to make any form of payment to their PSP operators,” he stated.
The commissioner said that government had appointed revenue consultants who would be serving bills to all clients, while payments would be made through designated banks, either manually or electronically.
He warned that any payment made to any PSP was at payers’ risk.
Oyeleke also warned that anyone caught dumping refuse in the above-named dump sites would be prosecuted.
He directed all PSP operators to make use of only Awotan landfill, Apete in Ido Local Government Area, which had been provided by government.
The commissioner implored residents of the state, particularly those in Ibadan, to desist from dumping wastes on the road median, drainages, rivers and other open spaces so as to avert outbreak of diseases and flooding.
By David Adeoye
