By Abiodun JAMIU
Barely four days after The ICIR reported how residents of Dada and other communities in Ilorin, Kwara State, live in perpetual fear of an epidemic outbreak owing to poor sanitation, governor of the state, Abdulrahman Abdulrasak, has set up a committee to undertake a comprehensive assessment of environmental issues in the state.
The report revealed how the residents engage in indiscriminate dumping of refuse and open defecation due to the failure of the state government to provide waste disposal options in public spaces.
“We have also set up a committee in place headed by Justice Raliat Elelu to look at the issue top down on environment and once they submit their report things will start changing.
“If you drive through our major roads, you will see rubbish all over the places. But give us time, all these will be a thing of the past,” a statement on the official website of Kwara State government quoted the governor as saying.
The 15-member committee chaired by a former Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Raliat Elelu, is to look into environmental issues such as unlawful dumping of waste and other violations that hurt public planning and endanger public health, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, who issue the statement explained.
Replying to a text message sent to him by this reporter, Ajakaye confirmed the new development and further reiterated his principal’s commitment to change the narratives in the state.
“Yes it is correct. The panel has been inaugurated on Monday and is chaired by retired Justice Raliat Elelu,” he said.
“Work is currently ongoing at the Ministry of Environment to clear refuse that litter the metropolis and other communities.”
Ajakaye, however, said he was in transit and would only be abreast with new developments of the panel once he returned to the state capital, Ilorin.
His words: “I heard of a similar story about a week ago before I travelled, I don’t know the stage they are now (referring to the committee) until I get back to Ilorin,” he said.
“All I know is that there is an ongoing effort to clear the communities. The picture I saw in the story is a big dump site which will take concerted efforts to clear because definitely it has to be addressed.”