Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has revisited the call for the relocation of Uyo village road dumpsite to a safer and permanent site in the state.
The call for relocation of the dumpsite was first made during the first session of the 7th Legislative Assembly in 2020 by the member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency, Otobong Bob.
Regretting that no action had been taken three years after the motion was presented to the House, the member representing Uyo State Constituency, Hon. Uwemedimo Asuquo, in a motion on Friday plenary also urged the State government to establish a permanent dumpsite to replace that of Uyo Village Road.
The motion was seconded by the member for Mkpat Enin State Constituency, Hon. Uwem Imo-Ita without any objection.
Asuquo lamented that the volume of waste evacuated within the capital city to Uyo Village Road dumpsite is increasing on a daily basis to a present record of over 2200 tonnes per day, thereby constituting a health hazard to the residents.
He further stated that the “proximity of the dumpsite location is critically disturbing Government facilities, including the Government House, State Judiciary headquarters, Uyo Local Government Council, and Nigerian Police ‘B’ Division, amongst other facilities making it hazardous and injurious to the health and wellbeing of inhabitants within these environs.”
“I am aware that the government is continuous, and as representatives of the people, we are duty bound to ensure that issues bothering our constituents and state must be collectively projected to a logical conclusion,” he said.
Hon. Asuquo pleaded with the leadership and members of the Assembly to prevail on the Ministry of Lands to provide lands at designated and conducive locations across the three senatorial districts for the construction of a proper landfill for state dumpsites to enable the relocation of the dumpsite at Uyo Village Road.
Presiding over the plenary, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elder Udeme Otong, referred the matter to the Committee on Environment for further Legislative action.
The Speaker, advised the Committee Chairman to work with the Waste Management Agency and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure the relocation of the dumpsite from Uyo village road.
