Residents of Quarters Area of Kuje, Kuje Area Council of the FCT, have raised concerns over the poor waste disposal management in the area and called for the intervention of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

The residents, in interviews with journalists on Saturday, said the poor waste management was becoming a health and security concern in the area.

The dumpsite is located within the residential area of Kuje, by the abandoned stadium project, adjacent to a private hospital, and a few metres away from the Federal Road Safety Corps office, General Hospital, and other vital facilities.

Silas Ojigbe, a resident of Kayarda, said: “I usually come here to throw wastes, and it has been a concern for me because when I come to drop those things here, I will need to go inside.”

Mr Ojigbe explained that the refuse had remained unattended for a long period, leaving residents confused about why authorities had failed to evacuate it.

According to him, “You can clearly see that there is a tractor of the company supposed to be in charge of the waste disposal, but nothing is being done. Sometimes you see scavengers (Baban Bola) setting fire to the refuse, and the smoke from the fire pollutes the whole area.”

Sani Haruna, an athlete who regularly trains at the stadium, said the stench and smoke from the dumpsite had become a daily challenge.

“The stench from the waste is affecting us seriously; we inhale smoke,” he said.

He added that repeated complaints by athletes and residents had yielded little or no results.

“So many times we have reported to the local authorities, and they promise to do something, but nothing is being done. As it is, we don’t even know if anything can be done. We are just waiting for the next area council administration that will resume in April and hope they do something,” he said.

James Emmanuel, manager of Golden Lits Hotel, adjacent to the dumpsite, said the stench from the waste had affected their business.

“Sometimes people come here in the evening for relaxation. They can’t stay now due to smoke, and we have tried everything we can, yet received no positive response. You cannot blame customers for not coming again because if I go to a place and it is not conducive, I will not come again,” he said.

Mr Emmanuel said that although the site was allocated for waste years back, it was due for relocation since the residential area has developed.

“If you look at this area now, it is developed — see the stadium, school, hotel, hospitals, and children do come around here. We are appealing to the relevant authority to check this,” he said.

Suleiman Olorundare, another resident, recounted a recent incident when a fire broke out at the dumpsite in the middle of the night.

“I remember two weeks ago, fire was set on the refuse, and it took the effort of some inhabitants of the community to put it out. The smoke from the burning of the refuse actually affected us, especially me, because I couldn’t sleep almost the whole night.”

Meanwhile, Abdulrasheed Dada, an acclaimed head of scavengers around the dumpsite, alleged that the problem could be linked to non-payment of contractors for the job.

He said scavengers devised a means of removing materials they considered valuable before burning the remaining refuse to reduce the volume of waste.

Joseph, last name withheld, another resident, said the dumpsite had also become a major health and security concern.

“Few days ago, the waste was set on fire, and we have a six-month-old baby; the whole house was full of fumes. This is not just normal smoke; it is thick, dirty, toxic fumes.”

Mr Joseph said the situation was particularly worrisome because medical waste from a nearby health facility was sometimes dumped there.

“The General Hospital’s wastes are dumped here; the whole dirt from the market, every rubbish is brought here, and this is a residential place.”

Beyond health risks, he warned that the dumpsite had become a gathering point for suspected criminals and drug users.

“It has become a safe haven for scavengers and everything, and you can see the whole place has become like a mini ‘pantaker’ or ‘bola’ area. It attracts smokers, drug addicts, and all kinds of people, and the stadium now is even becoming a safe haven for them.”

He called on authorities to urgently intervene before the situation deteriorates further.

“With all the praises we are hearing about the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, building bridges and roads, this situation in Kuje should not spoil it, and I think he needs to know of this,” he said.

(NAN)