Flood: El-Rufai warns against indiscriminate refuse dumping

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Saturday warned people residents in the state to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse on water ways to guide against floods in the next raining season.
This is also as the waste management company contracted by the State Government, Zoom Lion Global Alliance (Nigeria) limited has completed desilting of Kaduna river to allow free flow of water from across the city into River Kaduna thereby preventing flood and diseases. Such as cholera, malaria as well as make room for healthier aquatic.
Speaking through the commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources through a telephone call, Shehu Balarabe Giwa, the governor said his administration will continue to execute developmental and sustainable projects that will improve the quality of life and economy of people resident in the state.
According to him, “After careful study of Kaduna environment including its vegetation and rivers, the state government came up with the idea of desilting the smaller rivers and canals that have direct link into River Kaduna so water can flow freely.
“The waste management company the state government employ has been saddled with the responsibility of desilting the river have worked round the clock within the past few weeks starting from Tudun Wada, Kaduna North and terminated at Nassarawa, Kakuri in Kaduna South local government area of the state.
“This will address most ailment that ab initio associated with stagnant water like malaria and cholera, check flood and improve quality of live of aquatic.
“It is however important that the good people of Kaduna especially those who live at flood prone areas should join hand with government by away of keeping their waste in bags and discourage all manners of indiscriminate dumping of refuse by others”, he said.
Earlier, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ZL Global Alliance, Abiola Bashorun, while conveying environmental journalists round the desilted rivers which her company had successfully done, frowned at the way residents of Kigo New Extension bombarded the just resulted river in that axis with refuse.
“We have just launched Kaduna State door-to-door revenue and waste collection project in collaboration with Kaduna government and Kaduna State Internal Revenue Services (KADITS). That means the good people of Kaduna State can now carefully concede their refuse in bags and keep it where our mobile train can easily pack them.
”We have already engaged more than 1,500 and we are in the process of adding to that number. So, people don’t have reason to dump refuse indiscriminately any longer”, she added.
Also speaking, General Manager, ZL Global Alliance, Olamire Mene said, the completion of the exercise is just the first phase, revealing that the next stage will be dredging of River Kaduna. He said that will bring many opportunities to the government and people resident in the state.
The area visited during the tour include Kigo new extension, Angwan Yaro, Badarawa, Malali and Nassarawa, Kakuri areas of the state.