Stakeholders at a waste management meeting on Friday, April 28, 2023, called for attitudinal change and enforcement of existing sanitation laws to address waste management challenges in Oyo State.
They made the call at a Town Hall Meeting tagged “Beautiful Ibadan City: The Waste Management Agenda”, held in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, with key participants in attendance.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, called for genuine collaboration between relevant government authorities and the public to tackle the menace of indiscriminate waste disposal.
He said the Oyo State Government, under Governor Seyi Makinde’s leadership, has done a lot in managing waste, noting that, before 2019, the four dumpsites in the city were poorly managed.
This, he said, gave room for communicable diseases in Awotan and other residential areas close to the dumpsites, until Makinde’s government gave the dumpsite a face-lift.
“There is a need for a change in people’s attitude towards waste disposal. We have also approached residents with appeal, which we trust will bring changes in people’s attitudes,” he said.
According to Olatubosun, the Oyo State Government has laws on sanitation that must be enforced, to bring about the needed change in the state.
“Our duty bearers, enforcement agencies must see to it that the laws are respected and enforced in the state,” Olatubosun added.
The Chairperson, Oyo State Waste Management Taskforce, Mrs. Adedayo Aderonke, noted that Waste management in Oyo State is a social enterprise.
She added that part of the ways of tackling poor waste management in the state was the government employing one Private Sector Participation, who has over the years built waste management business, in a way the Oyo State Government appreciates.
Mrs. Adedayo added that in pursuit of sustainable waste management, the waste management contractor, Mottainai Recycling Ltd., regulates the activities of about 121 Mottainai Accredited Franchisees, otherwise known as MAFs.
“Initially the state had about 235 waste collectors, some of them were not paying into the coffers of the government, and they did not have capacity either. This contributed largely to the poor management of waste in the state,” she said.
The Taskforce Chairperson therefore applauded Mottainai for its efforts at ensuring proper waste collection and monitoring of waste dumping.
“We are getting it right in Oyo State because we have ensured proper control of the activities. The strength of waste management is based on monitoring of operations,” she added.
Mrs. Adedayo described Community Policing as key to waste management, as a local problem requires local solutions, in this part of the country.
Speaking earlier, the keynote speaker, Dr. Abdulwasiu Ajagbe, appealed to residents of the state to join hands together in putting an end to solid waste problems.
Other speakers at the event applauded the present administration’s responsiveness to all issues, especially those related to the safety of lives and property.
Some noted that the state government, through Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), has been involved in dredging of rivers, streams and waterways to enhance free flow of water during downpour.
Others encouraged residents to look into upcycling, recycling and reuse of products, which will reduce frequent disposal of household items.
