When it comes to pollution, give it to people living in Lagos. There are several types of pollution in Lagos and they are all caused by humans. Truth is that 80% of pollution across the globe is caused by man. Today, for the sake of space and clarity, I will dwell on the most pressing type of pollution that is affecting my environment.
Waste Disposal In My Environment
Truthfully speaking, our waste management system across the country is quite terrible. While other nations are working tirelessly to convert waste into renewable energy, and even pay people who generate waste, here in Nigeria, we waste the waste and turn it into a nuisance in our environment.
I observe that private sector participation operators are not sincere with their routine for carrying waste from our streets. You will hardly see them come around to pick wastes. The only time you tend to see the trucks is when it is time for residents to be asked for waste disposal rates. It is so damning, more so because the government does not do enough to support the masses and defend their rights.
This is the reason why most residents have decided to de-register from disposing of their wastes through the PSP operators who are only interested in collecting the rates rather than carrying out their services.
On the other hand, most residents keep their refuse or wastes till in the night where everyone has gone to bed. They would litre the whole street with waste because they want to avoid paying the monthly rates.
Also, the most disturbing one is how the residents use the waste to block the drainages across town, thereby causing flood. I know that this is not new to most of you. Since the government has announced that burning waste is hazardous to the environment, residents abuse the rainy season period to through their waste into flowing drainage so that the rain water would wash it away which is not the later result.
This pollution method has cause the blockage of major drainages across town. In fact, in the major city of Lagos, the canal system have become a stagnant stream with a jeapy of refuse that cause an offensive smell in some particular areas. This is the height of pollution mess around my enviroment.
Sometimes last year, there was a breakout of cholera in parts of Nigeria. This was majorly caused by pollutants in our natural water bodies. I heard from a reliable source how people who live in the riverine areas got infected with cholera because of their exposure to aquatic ecosystems.
I feel that the government should show more concern in managing wastes in out dear country, Nigeria. I hope to seea modern drainage system in major cities where it will become difficult to have access to the drainage, let alone through refuse into it.
It is true that no excuse whatsoever.is good enough to make anyone throw waste or refuse carelessly in places that is not meant for such. People should be educated on the relevance of proper aste disposal and the hazards that accompany wrong waste disposal.
There is also need for proper supervision of waste disposal operators for effectiveness. The corruption in that section of our national life is evil and causing a lot of disturbance.