By Obiabin Onukwugha
Rivers State government is set to demolish all illegal dump sites in Port Harcourt in a decisive effort to save the city from growing environmental hazards.
Consequently, it has slammed a 7-day ultimatum on scavengers to vacate such dump sites and shanties around them, or face the wrath of the law.
Pouncing on the scavengers for what it describes as the proliferation of the dump sites and shanties, contributing to the environmental hazards threatening healthy living in the city, the government announced that such structures have been marked for immediate demolition.
The state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi, weekend, drove round Trans-Amadu industrial area of the city on the vacation enforcement operation.
Announcing the 7-day ultimatum, Bipi stressed to scavengers to vacate all such sites before the ultimatum expired, to enable the Physical Planning and Urban Development Ministry commence clearing the city of slums and illegal waste dump sites.
Bipi expressed concern that operations of scavengers at the Trans-Amadi industrial area were they currently occupy large hectares of private lands, using them for sorting and assembling of solid waste.
He also condemned the act of proliferation of illegal dumpsites as well as shanties in business areas, and advised occupants to vacate such properties which had already been marked for demolition.
”Scavengers here are contributing to environmental hazards,” the commissioner alleged,” stating, “Their operation is highly unacceptable; this administration will no longer continue to allow them to deface our residential and industrial areas.”
He warned property owners should refrain from leasing their properties to operators of unapproved and hazardous businesses or face the full weight of the law.