By Daniel Tyokua
The Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has taken more steps to help make the six Area Councils and other towns clean.
Coordinator FCTA-STDD, Mr Obinna Ogwuegbu, said in line with the commitment of the Ministers of FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello and Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, the department had commenced evacuation and sensitization to bring about total clean up exercise around and within the councils to make them safer for the residents.
In a statement at the weekend, the coordinator who inspected the clean up exercise, said that the initiative would be an ongoing one, even as he appealed to residents, particularly those living in the suburbs to desist from dumping refuse in drainages and by the roadsides.
It explained that Ogwuegbu has been going round the six area Councils to make sure that all the contractors whose responsibility to clean up refuse and dump sites are complying with the matching order that all Satellite towns are kept clean at all times.
According to the statement, the six Area Council contractors on waste management have all been drafted to their stations and have been recalled to return to work at their various sites.
It said the exercise of freeing drainages, clearing of dump site and waste evacuation around the interchanges and roads leading in and out of the satellite towns are ongoing in Gwagalada, Kwali, Kubwa, Kuje, Abaji, and Karshi.
Ogwuegbu said the situation of waste generation in the FCT has an exponential trend because of the influx of people into the Capital Territory, and people’s attitude,lifestyle, and behaviour towards the environment.
He noted that residents especially in the Satellite towns must stop the dumping and littering of refuse along the roads,cannals and in drainages, there by blocking roads and drainages.
The Coordinator solicited the cooperation of the Area Councils in cleaning and Managing wastes in the satellite towns, since they have same as one of their primary duties and mandates as the STDD tries to intervene.
He further noted that one of his missions is to maintain and retain the integrity of the Abuja master-plan as it relates to the satellite towns in terms of their designs,infrastructure development and environmental concerns.
The promised to do his possible best with the available resources to raise the banner at the Satellite Towns.
He, therefore called on the residents of the Satellite Towns to partner with the department and government in evolving environmentally friendly communities at the satellite towns, noting that more resources will be deployed in areas of waste Management and infrastructure development in actualisation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision.
