The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on the Environment has described the present legislation on waste management as obsolete, calling for an urgent review to meet with contemporary realities.
The House of Assembly Committee has equally called for the provision of personal protective kits to all waste management workers.
The State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency is also to henceforth engage all stakeholders regularly to appraise performance and effective delivery, while workers must be provided with free medical checks and treatment to ensure efficiency and effectiveness
The Chairman House Committee on the Environment and Member representing Okobo State Constituency, Bassey Pius Bassey, presenting the committee report at its business session of the floor of 8th State Assembly, made the recommendations.
The motion on the urgent need to address unregulated refuse dump scavenging in Uyo metropolis and the motion on urgent need to equip environmental workers with Personal Protective Equipment had earlier been raised on the floor of the house and directives given to the Committee to deliberate on the two motions.
The Committee while considering House of Assembly 292 observed activities of scavengers have caused adverse environmental issues like blocking of drainage, resulting in flooding incidences, scattering of waste, exposure of individuals to hazardous substances, and threats to public health.
The absence of enabling laws to regulate scavenging, the lawmakers posited, promotes criminality.
On environmental workers, especially those involved in waste collection and disposal, the committee chair said they are openly exposed to health hazards on account of non-usage of PPE in the course of their duties, blaming contractors for breaching their agreements.
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