Leading advocacy groups, the Campaign for Democracy (CD) and the Human Rights, Liberty Access, and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE), have issued a strong call to Chief Emeka Orji, the chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, to urgently address the escalating refuse crisis plaguing the streets of Onitsha.

In a statement released over the weekend, the groups highlighted the severe environmental degradation and health hazards posed by mounting garbage heaps throughout the local government’s jurisdiction. High Chief Dede Uzor A. Uzor, the chairman of CD for the South East and Executive Director of HURIDE, emphasized the risk of epidemics if immediate action is not taken.

According to the statement, the situation has deteriorated despite previous directives from the local government for residents to clear and bag refuse from drainage systems in front of their homes. The groups lamented that the accumulated refuse, initially cleared by residents, remains uncollected, causing further blockages in the drainage systems and worsening the local sanitation crisis.

The affected areas suffering from significant refuse buildup include Zik Avenue, Mbonu Ojike, Uga Street, Uzodinma Street, and Bida Street, as well as the entirety of Fegge Housing Estate. With the rainy season approaching, there are heightened concerns that the unattended refuse will lead to further environmental and health problems.

The advocacy groups have also appealed to Chief Orji to restore daily street sweeping services and to establish a local traffic control unit, potentially offering employment opportunities to local youths. Additionally, they urged measures to prevent damage to newly reconstructed roads by traders at the Bridgehead Market, who are reportedly using iron rods that could harm the infrastructure.

While the groups commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his efforts to resurface roads in Anambra State, from which Onitsha South has benefited, they expressed a desire for further infrastructure improvements in key areas such as Uga Street, Bida Road, and Balewa Street.

The call to action underscores a critical need for effective waste management practices and infrastructural care to safeguard the health and environment of Onitsha South’s residents.