In this report, ALFRED OLUFEMI chronicles the pathetic plight of a community under the chokehold of a state-owned dysfunctional sewage plant that yields bountiful profit to the detriment of residents
During a tour of the estate, our correspondent discovered that further deepening residents’ woes, is the fact that the plant has been turned into a dump site for wastewater collected from areas outside the estate like Agege and Egbeda, despite its dysfunctional state.
“The former governor revealed that aside from upgrading the existing wastewater treatment plants at Abesan in Ipaja; Oke-Afa in Isolo; Iponri in Surulere; Alausa in Ikeja and Amuwo-Odofin, 5, 250 kilometres of sewers need to be laid,” the report stated. Parts of its perimeter fence had collapsed, while there were indications that the entrance gate was forcefully removed from its hinges.The trucks, our correspondent would later learn, are owned by individuals in the business of sewage evacuation.
However, in order not to arouse suspicion due to the sensitive nature of the report, our correspondent, rather than move closer to the box, left the premises and found his way to the back of the facility, where the Abesan River snakes through. The UN body also noted that the discharge of untreated wastewater may cause physical, chemical, and biological deterioration of water sources.
A senior staff, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said they operate under a chokehold of polluted air. The staff noted that an attempt to formally complain to the operators led to an assault on some school management staff. After minutes of haggling, the young man, out of exasperation, broke down the cost of dislodging sewage to our correspondent, noting that N4,000 is paid to the state government for every trip.
He further explained to the driver, who identified himself as Sikiru that his brother just purchased a truck and needed a trusted person that can efficiently run the sewage business for him. Sikiru told our correspondent that his brother would need to pay N300,000 as a registration fee to the Sewage and Wastewater Dislodgers Association of Nigeria, an umbrella body for operators.
“N200 must be paid by the driver daily to the association. Our President has said that by 2023, the registration fee will no longer be N300,000. It will be increased to N400,000. Tell your brother to hasten up,” he advised.learnt that the facility manager in charge of the Abesan plant, Chief Tunde Afodewu, is also the president of the association of septic truck operators.
He said despite multiple visits by some government officials, including lawmakers, nothing significant has been done.A youth leader in the community, Ehis Ero, said the state government must take decisive action as the facility is in a comatose state. According to estate president, Kehinde, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, paid a visit to the plant in October 2022 and concluded that the situation on the ground was terrible and promised to help.
“As I am talking to you, we use chemicals. You can come and see how we use the chemicals. We are not discharging it into the Lagoon. Even the governor is aware of what we are doing here,” he said.Commissioner confirms development He noted that the state government, rather than renovate, has planned to expand the plant to meet up with the sewage needs of residents.
“We don’t dump it raw. It passes through the boxed concrete where we add some chemicals to it. Those chemicals will kill some of the biomass in it.”
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