The Abia State Government has announced plans to modernize the waste collection process under the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance environmental sanitation across the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made this disclosure while briefing journalists on the outcomes of this week’s State Executive Council (SEC) Meeting, which was presided over by State Governor, Alex Otti.
Speaking on the revamped waste management strategy, Prince Kanu emphasized that the new system will primarily focus on residential areas and business premises, while continuing central waste collection in markets and high-traffic zones.
“You will all agree with me that the State Government has made very tremendous progress in terms of cleanliness in the State of our public spaces through the activities of ASEPA.
“The State Environmental and Waste Disposal Management in the State Capital, in Aba and Ohafia and other parts of the State are one of the principal achievements of this administration.
“However, having achieved these milestones, ASEPA is now focusing on the next level of Waste Management which will entail modern collection of waste at the point of generation and this will come through residential areas and business premises.
“ASEPA is also poised to run a high-breed Waste Management process that will involve Central collection in places such as Markets and in some specific areas with high traffic, both human and vehicular, and of course Arterial roads; roads that are very narrow,” he explained.
To ensure the sustainability of the modernized waste management initiative, Prince Kanu announced that ASEPA will introduce revised tariffs for waste disposal.
However, he reassured residents that the Abia State Government will continue to subsidize waste management as part of its social responsibility.
“The State Government in some way will offer some assistance in this regard, because waste disposal is seen as a social service but then citizens will, to some extent, bear some burden in terms of paying some little tariffs for waste disposal,” the Commissioner stated.
Raising concerns over vandalism, Prince Kanu urged Abians to report cases of theft of ASEPA waste bins by scrap dealers and warned against illegal waste collection activities.
“We need public cooperation to safeguard government assets and curb fraudulent activities by illegal waste collectors,” he stressed.
In a related development, the General Manager of ASEPA, Mr. Ogbonnia Okereke, disclosed that ASEPA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, is working diligently to fulfill the government’s mandate of keeping Abia’s environment clean and healthy.
He further revealed that a major recycling company is setting up a plastic recycling plant in Aba, which is set to be commissioned on March 18, 2025, coinciding with World Recycling Day.
According to Mr. Okereke, the state government is actively partnering with various organizations to establish similar recycling plants across the state. The goal is to transition “from a linear economy to a circular economy in the area of Waste Management”, ensuring sustainability and environmental conservation.
