By Juliet Ekwenugo, Kaduna
Environmental experts and a community leader have urged the Kaduna State Government to take urgent action to address the environmental challenges posed by the Tudun-Ilu dump site, believed to be one of the oldest waste disposal sites in the state.
The stakeholders called for the evaluation and evacuation of accumulated waste at the site, warning that continued dumping and open burning of refuse could expose residents to harmful smoke and other environmental hazards.
The call followed an assessment of the Tudun-Ilu dump site, located near the Fire Brigade in Tudun Wada, Kaduna, by the Head of Communication and Strategies at African Climate Reporters and lecturer with the African Institute of Waste Management and Environmental Studies, Comrade Ibrahima Yakubu, alongside environmental scientists.
The experts said the location, which is surrounded by a densely populated community, required urgent attention to prevent further environmental degradation and protect residents living around the area.
Speaking after the field visit, Yakubu said the authorities should properly assess the volume and nature of waste accumulated at the site and evacuate it to an appropriate disposal facility.
He said the evacuation would help reduce the smoke and toxic fumes generated by the burning and decomposition of waste, which he said were affecting residents around the community.
Yakubu also proposed that, after the site had been properly cleared, it could be converted into temporary shops or other useful community facilities that could provide economic benefits rather than allowing it to continue serving as a dumping ground.
He, however, urged residents to stop setting fire to refuse at the site, stressing the need for sustained public awareness on the dangers associated with open burning of waste.
Residents of Tudun-Ilu have also raised concerns over the condition of the dump site, particularly the persistent smoke and unpleasant conditions associated with the accumulation and burning of refuse.
The community leader of Unguwan Tudun-Ilu, where the dump site is located, Mai-Unguwa Mallam Husaini Yakubu, appealed to relevant authorities to stop further dumping at the location.
He said residents had lived with the consequences of the dump site for many years, including persistent smoke and what he described as respiratory-related health challenges within the community.
According to him, the site had increasingly become a dumping ground for animal waste and refuse generated from Kaduna Central Market, resulting in smoke that affects the surrounding community, particularly from morning until evening.
The community leader backed the proposal to replace the dump site with temporary shops or other useful facilities, saying this could provide a more productive use of the location while addressing the environmental challenges faced by residents.
He also appealed to humanitarian organisations, civil society groups and health experts to collaborate with the government and community leaders to find a lasting solution to waste management in the area.
Husaini called for stronger collaboration among environmental experts, journalists, community leaders, civil society organisations and government agencies to make proper waste management a priority across Kaduna metropolis.
The stakeholders urged the authorities to evacuate the accumulated waste, prevent open burning and provide suitable alternative waste disposal facilities for residents.
They also called for improved waste collection, recycling and public awareness programmes to discourage indiscriminate dumping and open burning of refuse.
They said urgent intervention would help reduce pollution, improve the living conditions of residents around Tudun-Ilu and protect the community from the environmental hazards associated with the continued use of the location as a dump site.
