Inside Unguwa Uku Community Where Mountain of Dumpsite Expose Residents to Health Hazard
By Rabiu Musa
An unregulated mountain of dumpsite in Unguwa Uku Community, emitting obnoxious odour, has created a favourable conditions to the survival and growth of diseases which exposed the community and the passers-by to health challenges.
Prime Time News report that the improper operated open landfill, situated at Tarauni area council of Kano state has a potentials for surface and ground water pollution particularly, during rainy season, thereby exposing the residents to water borne disease among others.
Unguwa Uku, with an estimated population of over 40 thousands, the community and surrounding neighbourhood is currently facing huge challenges in the management of refuse collection, Prime Time News has learnt.
The environment was a typified of the overflowing waste from the residents of Kwana Shida, Layin Asibitin Shargalle, Limawa and Filin Kashu among others.
An on the spot visit by the Prime Time News showed that the residents stand the risk of contracting various diseases through chemical exposure oozing from the dumpsite.
According to Environmental Protection Agency’s Report 2022, stated that waste that are not properly managed, especially solid waste from households and the community are a serious health hazard and lead to spread of infectious diseases.
The report stated that unattended waste lying around attract flies, rats, and other creatures that, in turn, spread diseases.
‘’Normally, it is the wet waste that decomposes and releases bad odour. The bad odour directly affects the people living next to the dumpsite, which shows that the dumpsite have serious effects to people settled around or next to them.
EXPERT REACTS
Dr. Hassana Ibrahim Yakasai, a Kano based medical Doctor revealed to Primetimes that open dumpsites are major problem to the environment particular the air we breathe.
According to her, exposure to waste in dumpsites is hazardous and can affect human health, children being the most vulnerable to these pollutants.
‘’Direct exposure can lead to disease through chemical exposure as the release of chemical waste into the environment leads to chemical poisoning’’.
‘’Pollutant deposited on land can enter the body and contaminate food products, fruits, animals and water. Dumpsites closer to residential areas can be feeding place for domestic animal who may come in contact with various forms of disease and transfer same to the communities’’.
Some of the residents whose houses are located around the refuse site expressed disappointment at the way they are being managed by the concerned authorities.
A resident who gave his name as Mal. Idris Sufi, 47, said that the inability of the authority concerned to clear waste on time pose a significant health challenge to them particularly the presence of hybrid mosquitoes.
Sufi said ‘’Refuse are dump here and government and waste collectors are not coming on time to pack it’’.
‘’Sometimes, it takes months for the waste to be cleared and during the period, we find it difficult to breath properly’’.
‘’The situation is even worse once it rains, the whole area becomes messed up as the rain will wash some of the dirt to the roads’’.
Another resident who gave his name as Datti Ibrahim, 36, told PrimeTimes that the health implication of leaving refuse for days without clearing them is enormous.
Datti, who doubles as health practitioner said ‘’A healthy environment underpins a healthy population, if authority concerned does not take actions to make environment where people live and work healthy, thousands will continue to become ill and die young’’.
‘’Allowing waste stay for long before they are moved pose threat to residents with different health hazard’’.
