The Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, has faulted an online publication wherein the waste management committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Chris Ezem was accused of not doing its job of keeping Umuahia, the State capital clean.
The environment agency reiterated that it would continue to perform its function of keeping Umuahia and environ clean, urging those who are criticizing its operations to do so truthfully and constructively as the agency welcomes all forms of criticisms and views that will assist to expand on its duties.
The Abia agency, however, called on the general public to ensure that they bag and dispose their wastes properly and avoid littering the environment with dirt now that the yuletide season is here.
Chidiebere Ogbuehi, Deputy of Operations of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, who spoke with newsmen, Sunday in Umuahia, said that the agency was doing its best within the resources available to it to ensure that Umuahia is kept tidy, reassuring that the agency would not relent in its commitmentt in making every corner of the state capital and beyond is kept clean.
Words, “Such accusation is far from being truthful. It is evident that the interim waste management committee has been alive to its duties and has done a lot to improve the hygienic face of the state capital. We had a little operational challenge where some of our operational trucks broke down and the engineers who are engaged to fix them created delays leading to the heaps that was experienced just a week ago”.
It further noted that some of their trucks are back to work in those Abia areas that there were heaps of wastes, pointing out that its slow pace of work was not intentional.
ASEPA apologized for the mechanical fault that it had, clarifying that the compactors and other trucks used in its operations are man-made and can break down at any time.
The agency, however, restated the determination of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led government to ensure waste-free Abia, further soliciting for the cooperation of the residents of the state in proper waste disposal.
