It is a thing of concern that the once beautiful state of Imo is now competing for award as the dirtiest state in Nigeria. It leaves the mind guessing if there is anybody in government. Sometimes I wonder what and how the authorities are performing their statutory roles. If they cannot discharge their basic responsibilities I wonder what it is that they are doing in government?
Go to many parts of the state everywhere is littered with refuse. Orji town for example is an entrance route to Imo from other states. On entering Orji from Okigwe road what greet you is the bags of refuse that litter the median. They are packed there for the Imo State Waste Management Agency (ISWAMA) to pick up.
Shockingly most often for 3 days those wastes are still lying there and cumulating thereby not only posing an eye sore but creating health hazards to the citizens. The sanitary condition of the state got worse when the responsibility of refuse disposal was taken away from the Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO)
The government on creation of ISWAMA handed them over this responsibility with the added job of transforming the waste into wealth. How realistic is this dream in the light of refuse disposal. It is clear that the government is living a lie biting more than it can chew or simply chose to deceive the people.
Clearly, the government is not ready to walk its talk. For an agency that is not equipped to do refuse disposal how can it begin to transform the waste to wealth. It is important to ask questions since the agency was created some months back what is its score card is like in the journey to realize its wonderful dream.
It is sad to remark that Imo government is killing its people gradually through negligence of its duties, same people it is supposed to be protecting. Our hospitals are not working. Some health centres have been overtaken by weeds. When people pick sickness from the dirt abandoned by the government they have no money to seek treatment because the government owes them.
The few that can manage to afford treatment would have no place to run to for treatment because the hospitals are not functioning. If you take statistics of the number of deaths in our rural areas you will marvel at the neglect of government business. It is sad, it is painful, it is hurting. What are we doing with all the primitive accumulation we are all indulging in?
