Oyo govt begins massive refuse evacuation in Ibadan, warns against indiscriminate dumping

​The Oyo State Government has launched a major intervention to clear heaps of refuse across the Ibadan metropolis, following growing concerns over environmental hazards and the blockage of drainage systems.

​The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Ademola Aderinto, who led a management team on an inspection of the exercise along the Iwo Road axis and other major roads, described the intervention as a “rescue mission.”

​According to Aderinto, the surge in waste accumulation is a direct result of non-compliance by some residents who continue to dump refuse on road medians, drainages, and water channels.

​Speaking during the inspection at the Araromi Market and sections of the Academy Expressway, the Commissioner lamented that the state was being forced to divert scarce resources to clear preventable messes.

​”The funds being utilized for this evacuation exercise could have been channeled into other developmental projects that would directly benefit residents,” Aderinto stated. “Indiscriminate dumping not only defaces the state but also diverts resources meant for infrastructure and social development.”

​He noted that the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration remains committed to safeguarding public health but warned that the current level of government intervention is not sustainable in the long run if citizens do not change their habits.

​Aderinto appealed to residents to utilize accredited waste collectors and warned that the state would soon pivot from evacuation to strict enforcement of environmental laws.

​”Dumping refuse on road medians endangers public health and contributes to flooding. We urge residents to report any challenges they have with waste collectors through official channels rather than taking matters into their own hands,” he added.

​The Commissioner for Information, Prince ‘Dotun Oyelade, in a statement signed on Saturday, emphasized that penalties are already stipulated for offenders and that the government will not hesitate to prosecute those found violating environmental sanitation laws once the clean-up exercise is concluded.