The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has decried the low performance of the waste evacuation and cleaning contractors, engaged by the Federal Capital Territory Administration to keep Abuja clean.

The director, Kate Ogbonna,  gave the assessment during an interactive session with the contractors in Abuja on Friday.

Ms Ogbonna said she was overwhelmed with unsavoury reports from the supervisors who monitor the daily performance of the cleaning and waste contractors.

According to her, routine checks by the board have shown that the contractors are lagging in their task.

“The reports at my disposal from our supervisors, who monitor the performance of the contractors are not too good.”

She called on the contractors to brace up and ensure proper and efficient waste evacuation across the Federal Capital City.

She said that the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, has been keeping his promise of paying the contractors on time, stressing that they, therefore, have no excuse not to deliver on the terms of agreement.

She acknowledged that there could be challenges, which were normal with every job, and advised the contractors to procure more equipment and engage more hands where necessary, to make their job easy and seamless.

The director reminded the contractors that they signed the contracts on grounds that they were capable, and assured them that the Board would assist where necessary.

Ms Ogbonna explained that the meeting was to educate and guide the contractors on the full weight of their duties as waste managers and evacuators.

“We want them to know that there are standards and what we expect from them. We have set rules and agreements guiding their schedules.

“All we want is for the Federal Capital City to be clean,” she said.

Speaking on indiscriminate dumping of construction waste, the director said that the board was working with the Department of Development Control to ensure that such waste were properly disposed of.

She appealed to residents and institutions doing businesses in the capital city to pay their waste and cleaning bills and procure the right size of waste bins commensurate with their residences and business offices.

She noted that waste removal and management was capital intensive, adding that residents need to do their part while the Board does its part.

“You cannot be owing and expect clinical waste 

removed.

“You cannot also have a bin meant for one household for a block of 10 flats and expect it to hold the waste you generate until the contractor’s trucks come around. It will definitely overflow and mess up the environment.

“To ensure Abuja capital city remains clean, devoid of pollution and epidemic free, all must do their part,” she said.

In his remarks, Benjamin Enwerem, director, Solid Waste Management, AEPB, said that some of the contractors have complained that most of the waste on the streets was being generated by night traders and funfare operators.

“These traders and funfare operators generate waste and litter the whole area, thereby, forming illegal waste dumps around residential and business areas.

“We have taken notice of this complaint and we will send our task force after them,” Mr Enwerem said.

On the performances of the contractors, Mr Enwerem said that although there were still lapses, the contractors were doing better by the day, noting that additional capable hands have been injected into the cleaning force.

On his part, chairman, Association of Solid Waste Contractors, Ibrahim Babayo, acknowledged the unsatisfactory performance of the contractors and promised that they would improve.

Mr Babayo also promised that the contractors would procure modern equipment and employ more hands to improve on routine evacuation of waste. 

(NAN)