From Susan Obaje, Abuja
Karu, an Abuja surburb, boasts of many low-cost housing estates. Owing to expensive accommodation in the Abuja municipal area, Karu presents perfect housing for middle and low-income earners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Unlike in the past when the FCT Administration gave it the attention it deserved, today, the area is suffering its own share of government neglect.
In some parts of Karu, refuse and humans now compete for space because government’s refuse trucks do not operate regularly, forcing residents to patronise cart-pushers who serve as refuse collectors for a token fee.
Unfortunately, the cart-pushers dump their refuse at the central dump that is also not cleared when due.
The ugly development has made the refuse dumpsites in Karu an environmental disaster, as the putrid stench oozing from the site continually offends school children and market women nearby.
One popular dumpsite located in a section of Karu popularly called Bowler has become a nightmare of sorts.
The site is tucked between a church and a mosque and right in front of the Muslim cemetery.
Worshippers have perennially lamented about of the offensive smell of the refuse site, even as they cover their noses with handkerchiefs whenever they come to worship.
According to a resident, Muktar, the refuse crisis has lingered for over 10 years.
He said efforts to draw the attention of the government to their plight have proved abortive.
Muktar described Bowler as a refuse hub where Jikwoyi, Nyanya, Police Quarters, Ruga and other nearby places dispose their solid waste. He said the filth has made him to volunteer to help control those who come to dump refuse at the place.
“During the rainy season, burning is impossible and this makes the dirt to spread and even go to the extent of causing erosion within the vicinity. The smell during this period causes discomfort for both the people working there, people living around there and people passing by.
“Before now, the government always sent trucks (every two weeks) to remove the dirt and dump at Kerishi, where there is a ditch for refuse disposal. But over the years, the government extended the time of refuse removal from weeks to months and then finally forgot about it,” he said.
Monica Godwin, a student of Narai Junior Secondary School, Karu, who passes Bowler to school every day, expressed strong feelings of disgust about the refuse dump.
“The smoke from the burnt refuse causes my uniform to smell and this makes me uncomfortable throughout the day in school,” she said.
Mr. Umar Hassan confirmed that the mountain of garbage has not been removed from that point for more than six months now.
Mr. Abdul, a trader, said “the smell from the smoke makes us uncomfortable and because we don’t have money, there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Responding to questions from Daily Sun, the supervisor of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Hassan Umar, stated that their operations have been restricted drastically because the area office does not have money to pay workers, including drivers and supervisors, among others.
“We have not been very effective because the area office has financial problems and we are not able to pay employees.
“Government has stopped paying,” he said.