Oyo govt begins clearing of refuse on Ibadan roads

A few hours after Nigerian Tribune report on Ibadan refuse hit newsstands on Friday, waste disposal vehicles moved to the sites and cleared the highways of many bags of refuse.

The said report highlighted what looked like Ibadan residents’ renewed efforts to take the city back to its old days when it was tagged the ‘dirtiest city in Nigeria.’

Nigerian Tribune findings have, however, shown a better sight on the streets with the huge refuse giving way for free flow of vehicles.

Challenge, Ring Road as well as the route connecting Molete, Oke-Ado and Oke-Bola wore a new look on Sunday before filing this report. The traffic congestion noted at the Oke-Ado Market was said to be the regular congestion caused by the junction.

It was gathered that waste disposal workers worked at the weekend to clear the wastes.

It was also gathered that the workers held a meeting with the Ministry of Environment where an understanding was reached on the need to sustain the tempo with which they worked in the last three days.

“I was told that our employers held a meeting with the ministry officials and they were told to ensure that we don’t allow refuse to stay long before we pack them. I don’t know when exactly they held the meeting but I had expected it to happen, especially when I got to know that Nigerian Tribune wrote about it on Friday,” a waste disposal said.

He also raised the alarm that maintenance of vehicles used by waste collectors could be a cog in the wheel of a clean environment.

Another source disclosed that the disposal vehicles were not enough, recalling how Ibadan Waste Management Board once came to the rescue of the contractors when it realised that they lacked adequate vehicles to cover Ibadan.

This revelation is said to be a contrast to what obtained in the past when workers and vehicles worked round the clock and maintained clean environment.

“We expect the governor to look into this so that it won’t continue to embarrass him. As far as I am concerned, Governor Abiola Ajimobi looks more serious to improve the environment but he should not allow political patronage to set him back,” the source said.