Refuse defaces Katsina city

Heaps of uncollected refuse have continued to deface Katsina city, threatening its beauty and posing serious health risk to residents, Weekend Trust reports.

Across major parts of Katsina metropolis, including Chake local market, Katsina Central Market and surrounding motor parks, IBB Way, Nagogo Road, Tafawa Balewa, Yahaya Madaki Way, Sarki Muktar Road and several other locations, mountains of waste now dominate the landscape.

Residents and visitors alike have expressed growing concern over indiscriminate refuse dumping and the apparent official negligence in timely evacuation.

The unsightly waste, scattered across streets, markets and public spaces, is blamed on inadequate waste bins, poor collection services and negative attitudes toward proper refuse disposal.

Many residents fear that the situation could trigger outbreak of diseases, worsen environmental pollution and further tarnish the city’s image.

Once regarded as one of the fastest-growing and best-organised cities in northern Nigeria, Katsina is increasingly becoming a visual and environmental nightmare. The stench from decomposing refuse dominates the air as animals and scavengers roam freely around the dumpsites.

At Chake local market, traders lamented what they described as negligence by the Katsina State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

Kabir Umar said, “Everywhere in this market you see refuse waiting to be collected, but nothing serious is being done despite several reports to the authorities.”

Another trader added that SEPA “seems to be in slumber since the inception of the current administration,” saying the agency has failed in its responsibility to keep the city clean.

At Chake goats and sheep market, Ayuba Mahari pointed to heaps of refuse behind the stalls, saying they pose both safety and health risks.

Business operators at the popular phone market, Kasuwar Taitsaye, also decried the situation, noting that repeated complaints only attracted promises, followed by silence.

Other badly affected areas include Sabuwar Unguwa, Kwamren Dorawa, Tudun Yanlihidda, Kofar Yandaka Roundabout, the central market environs and the central motor park.

A National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) official at the motor park who pleaded anonymity described the situation as “unbearable,” warning of imminent outbreak of avoidable diseases if urgent action is not taken.

“We have reported this menace to SEPA severally but nothing has changed. We are tired of reporting it; we have done our part,” he said.

When our correspondent visited the metropolis on a weekday at 11:00 am, all the 21 refuse collection trucks belonging to SEPA were seen parked within the agency’s premises, a situation residents said had become “the new normal.”

However, the Director of Waste Management and Pollution Control at the SEPA, Imrana Nadabo, insisted that the agency was doing its best despite daunting challenges, such as rapid population growth, urban expansion, poor public attitude to waste disposal and inadequate facilities.

He said the SEPA had since witnessed transformation with 21 functional refuse collection vans now available. He, however, added that more logistics are still required.

He appealed to residents to imbibe proper waste disposal culture, describing it as key to achieving a safe, healthy and habitable environment.

A member of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Katsina, Bashir Usman Ruwangodiya, attributed the situation not only to official lapses but also to low public awareness about environmental hygiene. He lamented that despite regular sanitation exercise, refuse has continued to litter the streets due to overstretched facilities and persistent indiscriminate dumping.

“I want to believe that the volume of waste being generated has overwhelmed the refuse collection facilities we have at our disposal due to population increase, especially in the state capital, which by extension was due to factors such as insecurity and rural-urban drift,” he said.

The Assistant Director of Environmental Health, Water Supply and Sanitation at the State Primary Health Care Agency, Kabir Ahmed, warned that indiscriminate dumping of solid waste would have severe health and environmental consequences.

He noted that dumpsites served as breeding grounds for disease vectors, such as mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches and rats, which spread malaria, cholera, typhoid and dysentery, among other illnesses.

He added that hazardous waste could leach toxic substances, such as lead and mercury into soil and water, causing poisoning, organ damage and chronic illnesses. Open burning of refuse, he said, usually released harmful fumes that trigger asthma and respiratory problems while also contributing to climate change.

Public health experts have, therefore, called for urgent, comprehensive reforms to tackle the menace. They recommended stronger institutions, wider public participation, technological innovations and vigorous media campaigns to ensure proper waste management in Katsina.

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