Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Waste Management Agency, RIWAMA, is harping on partnership with the Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, to restore the Garden City status.
Managing Director of RIWAMA, Dr. Ibimina Wokoma, who announced the collaboration with PCRC on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the Rivers State PCRC Secretariat at the Police Officers Mess, Port Harcourt, said the move is part of the agency’s renewed efforts to achieve a clean and safe state.
Dr. Wokoma, represented by the agency’s Supervisor of Market and Community Sanitation, Mr. Ukoha Omereji, said the partnership leverages the PCRC’s grassroots structure to drive public enlightenment and enforcement against indiscriminate waste disposal across the state.
“Our desire is to return Rivers State to its lost glory as the Garden City. The Managing Director, working closely with the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Samuel Wanosike, has remained committed to ensuring that Port Harcourt becomes cleaner. We see the PCRC as a strategic partner because of its strong grassroots structure across the state, that is why we have come to partner with them,” he stated.
He linked recurring flooding in areas such as New GRA to indiscriminate dumping of refuse, blocked drainage channels, and illegal roadside trading and shanties.
He urged residents to take responsibility for waste disposal and desist from erecting illegal structures in front of homes.
“When property owners allow illegal structures to be erected in front of their houses for commercial activities, refuse is often dumped into drainage channels, causing blockages and flooding. Residents should take responsibility for ensuring proper waste disposal within their environment,” he said.
The RIWAMA Boss also warned against patronizing unregistered waste cart pushers, describing it as an offence under the Rivers State Waste Management Agency Law of 2014.
He added that RIWAMA is extending the sensitization to communities, markets, institutions, and security formations, with Divisional Police Officers expected to be involved in the campaign.
“Both the cart pusher and anyone who patronises them are committing an offence under the RIWAMA Act. Residents should engage only registered waste service providers approved by the agency.
“We are engaging communities, institutions, market associations, government agencies and security formations because environmental sanitation is everyone’s responsibility. Wherever there are police divisions, the Divisional Police Officers will also be involved in these sensitisation programmes,” he added.
Responding, the Rivers State PCRC Chairman, Dr. Voke Emore, pledged the committee’s support for RIWAMA’s campaign, noting that local government councils must play a leading role since they already collect sanitation levies from traders.
“We have noticed that local governments collect sanitation levies from market traders. They should be principal partners with RIWAMA in ensuring proper waste disposal because effective enforcement cannot be achieved without their support,” Emore said.
He called for adequate empowerment of RIWAMA’s enforcement unit with vehicles, personnel and logistics, comparing it to the support enjoyed by PHED from the Nigeria Police Force.
“The sanitation authority has a police unit attached to it, but government must adequately empower the unit with vehicles, personnel and other operational tools. Effective enforcement depends on proper funding and logistics. Just as PHED enjoys the support of the Nigeria Police Force, government can also strengthen RIWAMA’s enforcement capacity,” he stated.
Describing indiscriminate waste disposal as a public health emergency, Dr. Emore said poor sanitation also aids crime, as refuse heaps provide cover for criminal activities. He maintained that all hands must be on deck to achieve a cleaner Rivers State.
“Everyone has a role to play because waste is generated in every home and community. We have witnessed a rise in health-related issues which may be linked to poor waste management. Cleanliness is not only about environmental sanitation but also contributes to crime prevention, as heaps of refuse sometimes provide cover for criminal activities,” he added.
The PCRC chairman said the committee, tasked with expanding public awareness on the dangers of poor waste management, adding that its wide grassroots presence across the state would help spread the campaign, assured that it would deploy its structures in all local government areas to educate residents on the dangers of poor waste management and support RIWAMA in achieving a cleaner Rivers State.
“We have structures in virtually all local government areas and communities. We will educate residents on the dangers of poor waste disposal and support RIWAMA’s efforts in creating a cleaner Rivers State,” he said.
