By Abdullahi Lukman
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has engaged 40 contractors to handle waste management and city sanitation in key districts of the Federal Capital City (FCC).
In an interview on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Mr. Osilama Braimah, the Director of the AEPB, confirmed that all contractors had been fully paid, ensuring no outstanding dues.
Braimah elaborated that the AEPB’s responsibilities include managing waste disposal, sanitation, and the overall cleanliness of several areas within the city.
These areas include high-profile districts such as Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Guzape, Katampe, Wuse, Mabushi, Wuye, and the Central Business District.
The AEPB is responsible for sanitation along major routes, including Airport Road, extending to the Bill Clinton and airport vicinity, as well as the Goodluck Jonathan Expressway all the way to the Karu axis.
Beyond waste management, the AEPB also plays a role in clearing beggars from the streets, ensuring that pedestrian bridges are not used as makeshift markets, and maintaining the city’s sewage system.
This includes the management of sewage treatment plants located in Wupa, Guzape, Katampe, Apo, and the Sewage Pump Station in the city center.
The Board also enforces environmental legislation to address issues of environmental degradation and nuisance across Abuja.
Braimah explained that each of the 40 contractors is responsible for a specific area within the city.
Their tasks include regularly evacuating waste and keeping the designated zones clean.
However, the Director acknowledged that the sheer volume of refuse generated daily can sometimes overwhelm the contractors.
Related Posts
In such cases, the AEPB steps in to provide additional support. He noted that when this occurs, the Board intervenes by sending its own team to assist with the refuse collection.
Braimah emphasized that the Board closely supervises contractors’ work, and if a contractor fails to meet expectations, the cost of the intervention is deducted from their payment.
For example, if a contractor’s daily rate is N200,000, the Board multiplies the number of days it intervened by the daily rate and deducts that amount from the contractor’s payment.
Despite these interventions, Braimah commended the contractors for consistently fulfilling their obligations by ensuring the regular evacuation of waste every two weeks.
He, however, acknowledged that visible piles of refuse are sometimes found in certain parts of satellite towns and area councils, but emphasized that these areas fall outside the AEPB’s jurisdiction.
He clarified that the AEPB is only responsible for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), with the other five area councils in the region managed by separate authorities.
Braimah also addressed the issue of noise pollution, a growing concern in urban areas.
He explained that the AEPB intervenes when noise pollution is caused by activities in nightclubs, grinding machines in homes, and other public spaces.
The Board employs noise meters to measure sound levels and determine whether they exceed the allowable limits.
However, he clarified that the AEPB does not have jurisdiction over noise emanating from moving vehicles or motorcycles.
Through its extensive efforts, the AEPB continues to work diligently to maintain Abuja’s cleanliness, regulate its environmental health, and enforce sustainability practices across the city.
The Board’s proactive approach, including the management of contractors, waste evacuation, and noise pollution control, reflects its ongoing commitment to ensuring a cleaner and more livable environment for the residents of the Federal Capital Territory.
