Oyo Assembly mandates environment committee to investigate waste disposal situation

October 10, 2023

The Oyo State House of Assembly has mandated the House of Committee to investigate the state of waste disposal in the State.

This is because the committee was asked to find out why compactors meant for local government areas were not efficiently deployed and under the state government’s jurisdiction.

The mandate of the Assembly followed a motion brought by Honourable O. C. Rahman on the non-evacuation of waste and lack of dumpsites in Oyo East/Oyo West state constituency.

The Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin-led Assembly noted that there was a need to also see whether there is a plan to get more waste disposal equipment in the State.

Rahman had in the motion, noted that several streets in Oyo town were littered while waste compactors meant for the Oyo East/Oyo West constituency were servicing other local government areas of the State.

He warned that the State was at risk of epidemic owing to uncollected waste, adding that there was no dumpsites or landfill to dispose of waste, thereby making waste disposal difficult.

Rahman, in the motion, urged the executive, through the Ministry of environment, to direct the waste consultant to ensure waste compactors for Oyo East/Oyo West are recalled from wherever they are.

He also demanded the immediate evacuation of waste in Oyo East/Oyo West and the creation of a dumpsite in the constituency for proper waste disposal.

The motion also charged the state Ministry of Information and Orientation to embark on sensitisation to discourage indiscriminate waste disposal.

Speaking, member representing Atiba constituency, Honourable Gbenga Oyekola alleged that contractors collapsed the dumpsite in Oyo town.

Contributing member representing Ibadan South West 2 constituency, Honourable Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi questioned the waste contractor for suddenly terminating contracts of waste agents overnight.

Similarly, Honourable Tunde Kehinde of Akinyele 2 constituency claimed that the state waste contractor showed inefficiency in handling waste.

On his part, Honourable Daud Olalere of Ibadan North West constituency held that the local government should be tasked to take up the duty of clearing drainages, noting that such continued to damage roads across the city.

Meanwhile, the Assembly, has reinstated the suspended chairman of Akinyele local government area, Honourable Taoreed Adedigba.

This followed the receipt of the report of the adhoc committee that investigated allegations against the chairman, led by Honourable Peter Ojedokun.

The report exonerated Adedigba, while urging him to prioritize payment of sitting allowance of councillors and present annual budget before the council’s legislative council.

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