Some residents of the Gwagwalada area council in Abuja say the hike in collection prices by local waste collectors, aka baban bolas, has forced them to adopt alternative means of disposing of their waste.

The residents, who spoke in separate interviews on Tuesday in Abuja, said they had no option but to be more creative in their waste disposal efforts because of hardship in the country.

They, however, acknowledged that their waste disposal options might have negative impacts on their health.

According to them, they have no other option than to do things their own way, including dumping refuse indiscriminately instead of paying the waste collectors a high amount.

Eunice Nwafor, a resident of Phase 3, said that she has resorted to burning her waste instead of patronising the baban bola. She said the size of waste she usually disposed with between N200 to N300 was costs N600 to N700.

“These baban bolas are now becoming very expensive and I cannot continue to patronise them. I have resorted to burning my waste instead of paying so high on weekly basis to dispose them. It might not be the best on the environment and my health but I have no other choice,” she said.

Hannatu Isiaka, a resident of Old Kutunku, said she disposed of her waste herself and did not need the services of the baban bola.

“I used to gather my waste and throw it on any dumpsite I saw around me, or most times when it was raining, I would pour the waste inside the gutter in front of my house, and the rain would carry it away. Although my way of waste disposal is not good for the environment, I have no choice but to dispose of mine the way that I am doing,” she explained.

Ms Isiaka urged the government to provide waste collection bins at designated places where residents could dump their waste for proper evacuation.

Olabisi Adegbenga, a resident of Compensation Layout, said the absence of officially designated waste collectors in Gwagwalada has increased the demand for the services of baban bolas.

She said this made them increase the prices of waste collection. She said the prices of these services have continued to increase over time, adding that initially, emptying a large bucket of dirt between N150 and N250 now costs as much as N400 to N500.

She said she would empty a small dustbin basket between N50 and N70, presently as high as N150 to N200.

“Since there is no government waste evacuation vehicle, we have to make do with what is available. Although it is not the best choice because of the mode of disposing of this waste and its effect on sanitation,” she said.

Usman Adamu, a local waste collector, said the continuous increase in the prices of foodstuffs and the country’s current hardships have forced him to increase the cost of his services.

According to Mr Adamu, the services he renders to residents are his only livelihood. He added that he would continue to increase his prices as the prices of other things soar.

“Some of my customers no longer patronise me; some of them now dispose of their waste by themselves while others burn their waste. I will reduce my prices when the cost of foodstuffs reduces in the market,” he said. 

(NAN)