The Akwa Ibom State Government has issued a 48-hour-ultimatum to all relevant authorities in the state for the evacuation of refuse along Uyo village road which is very close to the government house.
Human and vehicular movement has been hampered along the road as trucks which could not access the ravine always dump refuse along the site.
The Secretary to State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem during an inspection of the dump site on Tuesday ordered that an asphalt inroad be created to enable trucks drive about 50 meters from the road into the ravine where the refuse will be dumped to stop the damaging effect of roadside dumping of refuse.
He also called for an immediate remedial work plan to salvage the road.
He said, “I want the Commissioner for Works, Prof Eno James Ibanga and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Hensek Construction Integrated Services, Engr Uwem Okoko, to work out the engineering content of the remedial work plan for this road within 48 hours in collaboration with the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Prince Akpan Ikim.”
The SSG admitted that the amount of waste at the dump site could be converted into needed energy and power and called on the Commissioner for Power, Dr James Etim to ensure that the waste is recycled into a source of energy.
The Waste Management Agency Chairman, Prince Ikim noted that Uyo being a cosmopolitan city generates over 18,000 tons of waste daily which is being dumped at the Uyo village road dump site.
Ikim who expressed satisfaction with the remedial measures taken to evacuate the dump from the road called for a larger sanitary dump site outside the state capital with a conveyor belt that will recycle the waste.
He also disclosed that the State Environmental Protection Bill has already passed the first and second readings on the floor of the State House of Assembly.