The Abia State House of Assembly has summoned the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency to appear before the House Committee on Environment over the refuse which has taken over the capital city of Umuahia and Aba.
The Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji stated this on Wednesday plenary session after the Member representing Umuahia North State Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Hon. Kelechi Onuzuruike lamented on the state of refuse dump in the State.
According to Hon. Onuzuruike as stated by the Abia Assembly Media Unit said ‘some streets and roads in the State capital and Aba have been taken over by refuse and emphasised that refuse in Umuahia has become an eyesore which made him have an interface with the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency.
Hon Kelechi Onuzuruik said the General Manager disclosed to him that the agency has only one functional Excavator and one roll-on truck, and that the agency spends over N1.3m every month to hire other harassment needed for the excavation of refuse.
Hon Kelechi further said that the General Manager said the agency have some equipment in their car, therefore, cannot make use of them because they have not been paid for in full by the State Government. The lawmaker therefore prayed that the Executive Arm of Government pay for those new trucks so the agency can effectively do their job.’
RT. Hon. Orji called on the House Committee on Environment to get all the facts on the situation and efforts made so far by the agency to improve the process.
The House Committee on Environment was mandated to report back to the House on Monday, 13th December, 2021.
