The monthly sanitation in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, was on Saturday marred by lack of refuse disposal vehicles and security agents to enforce the exercise as dictated by the law.
It was noticed during the exercise, between 7:00a.m and 10:00a.m, that not a single refuse disposal vehicle was seen evacuating the heaps of waste dumped at roadsides in the ancient town.
Some of the places monitored included the Emir Road, the Oja Oba market, Surulere and lbrahim Taiwo and Murtala Mohammed roads among others.
It was gathered that many residents, who had participated in the exercise in these places waited endlessly for refuse disposal vans during the sanitation period.
Security agents, officials of Man O’ War and other voluntary organisations that usually assist in enforcing restriction of movement during the exercise were also inadequate, as people and vehicles moved freely on some major roads.
The Director of Environment, Alhaji Sikiru Olanipekun, in an interview with our correspondent blamed local councils for not deploying their waste vehicles to evacuate the garbage dumped at roadsides.
He said the state government will soon commercialise refuse collection in the state to further enhance prompt evacuation of waste in different parts of the state.
Some of the residents of the state capital who spoke with our correspondent during the exercise, called for prompt evacuation of refuse dumps to check the outbreak of diseases.
