Ika south is currently battling with about 25 active cases of Covid-19, while the state ministry of environment and waste management Board have abandoned residents of the area to live with waste as their neighbours.
But residents of the area have raised alarm over the environmental pollution occasioned by the illegal refuse dump site located almost at the center of the market.
A resident, Rev. Chuks Omezi, who spoke to newsmen in tears on the hazardous nature of the dump site, lamented the untold hardship on his household, regreting that the bad odour coming from the market dump site, chased three of his children off the house.
He explained that his family members and his church, Triumphant Royal Family Gospel Ministry, located few feets away from the dump site, constantly witness difficulties during market days as the only road leading to residential buildings of the street would be covered by traders who sells wares in the market.
He asserted that most times, when they returned home, they would see human feaces or inhale odours of urine around the corners of his building which is just less than eight feets to the dump site.
Hear him: “We are really suffering in this area because of the illegal dump site positioned just beside my building.
“We learnt that the host community, Ogbomudein, gave the market the portion to use as dump site, but failed to consider the effect on residents health.
“As the case may be, I no longer open my widows because of the bad odours coming from the dustbin. Three of my children have abandoned the house. Almost every week, it is either my children and I are admitted at the hospital for treatment or we are at the pharmacy buying drugs.
“Sadly, neither the local government council or the Councilors representing Ward 1 and 2, are doing anything to help us savaged the situation, but would not fail to come to the market on market days to collect revenue.
“We also found out that some persons would throw sacks containing dead fowls on the dustin amongst other waste items which is dangerous to our health”.
As at press time, the environment of the market was in total mess, while the building of Rev. Omezi, was indeed endangered by the heap of refuse at the illegal dump site.
Meanwhile, Rev. Omezi and other residents of the area used the medium to call on the state government to visit the environment in other to assertain the ugly conditions under which residents behind the market live in.
Efforts to get the Commissioner for Health, Mr. Chris Onogba, for reaction proved abortive.
