A Socio-Cultural group in Iseyin, Ebedi Frontliners, Iseyin (E.F.I) has written a Save Our Soul (S.O.S) letter to Oyo State government and the Chairman of Iseyin Local Government, Iseyin, Hon. Mufutau Abilawon, to urgently find a lasting solution to refuse evacuation system in the community, especially as it affected the community’s main market at Oja-Oba, very close to the palace of Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Dr. Abdganiy Salawudeen Adekunle Oloogunebi, Ajinese 1.
In a statement made available to reporters on Sunday, members of the group raised concern over possible break of epidemic as a result of heaps of refuse that they claimed littered the median divides along the Oja-Oba road, where many traders sit to sell foodstuffs, fresh fruits and other consumable goods at the market.
The statement, which was signed by the Ebedi Frontliners’s Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Segun Fasasi stated that the refuse evacuation method which took place once in a week was unhealthy as mountains of refuse always adorned the roadsides before the once in a week evacuation exercise usually take place.
“We have observed over a period of time and have discovered that despite the increase in number of residents as well as market men and women, the refuse is often heavily deposited on the main road and on the divider kerbs before the refuse is evacuated eventually, the disgusting sight and horrible smell that the refuse emits are second to none, apart from this, the situation becomes unhealthier as one realizes that the location is the area where most of the food items we consume are sold, the residents, passersby and shop owners are not safe from possible health hazard.
“To address this problem, we suggest that be evacuated daily or on alternate days till other remedies are found for easy refuse evacuation, to forestall accumulation of waste, environmental pollution and the possible health hazards that may result from there.”
The group used the medium to also call the attention of the State’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to the poor working condition of streetlights in the community, as they said the ‘Light Up Oyo State’ project, which was well conceived to serve many good purposes in the State might become a mirage if not well maintained.
They called for immediate completion of ongoing streetlight projects in the community, while those already in place be made to work regularly, in order to serve the needs of the people in the area of stamping out criminalities and promote social life, especially in the night.
“The case of the streetlights not being put to good use are the ones erected on the Iseyin township dual-carriage way, which since completion had only been lighted on rare occasions, to our dismay, new ones are being erected on other roads across the town and despite government allocation to power and maintain these new streetlights, the service provided are not satisfactory.
“Before the newly-installed streetlights become moribund like those installed during the last administration, we beseech your office for speedy attention on the said projects by repairing the old streetlights on our highways, complete the current project and make them all functional as envisioned by our amiable governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde,” they appealed.
