MAIRI RESIDENTS DECRY MOUNTING WASTE CRISIS, URGE GOVERNMENT ACTION

 

MAIRI RESIDENTS DECRY MOUNTING WASTE CRISIS, URGE GOVERNMENT ACTION 

 Residents of Mairi community in Maiduguri have expressed growing concern over the deteriorating sanitary conditions in the area, caused by the continuous accumulation of refuse along roadsides and drainage channels.

A visit to a popular junction in Mairi reveals a disturbing sight: heaps of garbage, including plastic bags, sachet water nylons, wrappers, and decaying waste scattered across the drainage system. The situation has not only defaced the environment but also raised fears of potential disease outbreaks as the rainy season draws near.

“We are living in discomfort. The smell from this garbage is terrible and mosquitoes are increasing by the day,” said Hauwa Ali, a resident and petty trader in the area. “We’ve reported to the authorities several times, but nothing has changed.”

The blocked drainages, now filled with waste, have rendered the area prone to flooding and stagnant water, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other harmful insects.

Health experts have cautioned that if urgent steps are not taken, residents of Mairi may soon face a spike in cases of malaria, cholera, and other sanitation-related diseases. “Waste management is not just the government’s duty; it requires a partnership between officials and the community,” said Dr. Musa Garba, an environmental health consultant.

Attempts to contact the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

Residents are now calling on the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and BOSEPA to deploy refuse trucks, clean up the affected areas, and intensify public sensitization campaigns on hygiene and responsible waste disposal.