Rotary club appeals to AMAC to evacuate waste at Apo

Mr Abdullahi Idris, the President of the club, made this appeal on Thursday in Abuja while inspecting the centre donated by the club.

He said that of the 240 residents treated for various illnesses,about 150 were treated for malaria.

The president noted that residents of the community dumped all kinds of waste not minding the dangers, stressing the need for immediate evacuation of the refuse.

“I am not happy seeing the heaps of refuse close to the healthcare centre; if the clinic environment smells because of the waste around, how can the workers deliver good health service.

“Two weeks ago, we treated more than 240 residents free of charge in the area and about 150 of them were treated for malaria and this could be caused by the waste dump in the area.”

The president decried poor sanitary condition of the area, accusing AMAC of negligence.

“As it is now, the waste collection point has become a problem; there are about six refuse dumps in the area, and this gives room for residents to dump refuse indiscriminately in the area,” he said.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the District Head of the area, Mr Yaolo Ishaku, also urged AMAC to take immediate action, to avoid health hazards in the area.

Ishaku said the waste had accumulated to a point where it has become a burden to the community.

“I have written to the area council; they came and took pictures of the refuse, but nothing has been down; the waste is close to the hospital and it will make people fall sick.

“I am begging them to help us, so that there will not be an outbreak of diseases.

“For a long time, the waste in the community has not been collected and this is affecting us.

“There are so many mosquitoes because of the stagnant water,” the district head added.

Meanwhile, Mr Chukwu Isaac, a worker at the centre said the refuse posed a health hazard to people in the area.