Roaming of cattle in the city and communities within Umuahia, the Abia State capital, dirty marketplaces and burning of refuse dumps have become major challenges that must be tackled.

The Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, Umuahia zone, Catechist Jonah Ambrose, stated this on Wednesday in Umuahia during a stakeholders’ meeting.

During the meeting, attended by the Mayor of Umuahia South LGA and Presidents-General from Umuahia North and Umuahia South LGAs, activities of herdsmen, indiscriminate waste disposal, and some youths’ refusal to participate in environmental sanitation topped the chart of discussion.

But in his opening speech, the Deputy General Manager of ASEPA, Catechist Jonah Ambrose, said the meeting was called to seek the support of Presidents-General of various communities in Umuahia North and Umuahia South, which his zone covers.

He regretted that despite the resources being spent by Governor Alex Otti’s administration in cleaning up the state capital and its environs, some persons still mess up their surroundings, adding that some markets are still found in stenchy conditions.

Ambrose, who solicited the support of the Presidents-General, expressed dismay about the continued activities of herdsmen whose cattle mess up government roads, including roads that were recently reconstructed by Governor Otti.

A communique declared by the participants said that all the communities would support ASEPA in keeping Umuahia clean, even as they called for the deployment of more waste disposal buckets in their areas.

It was also agreed that the cleanest community in the entire Umuahia would be recognized and honoured.

Herdsmen, indiscriminate waste among major issues in Umuahia – ASEPA