CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
There were efforts, some of them commendable made at various times, in Anambra to improve the environmental and atmospheric conditions of the different part of the capital city. These have include the clearing of the city of large amounts of refuse site and dumps indiscriminately located within living abodes, which blocked several access routes.
This has opened up some of the area, provided access to part of the city litter to block and also more open spaces for recreation. All this efforts failed the test of time by not sustaining the search for a clean city. Therefore, Afuabi in his write up in the National Concord described these “attempts as mainly cosmetic and that the characteristic of under-development seemed to be the prevalence of urban slum and rural squalor”
To deal with the situation the 1976 local government reform assigned specifically the functions of maintaining and promoting environmental health to the local councils. This was a view to finding a means of solving the problem of environmental decay within the urban center in particular. Inspite of this provision, refuse disposal within the urban center of Anambra remained a problem. Anambra Local Government lacked the required assigned functions. Admolekum, put in vividly this. “This list of Local Government Functions could be impressive whilst the financial and human resources necessary for effective performance are grossly inadequate”. There was continuous decline in the sanitary condition of the capital city.
In 1984, the government of Anambra State before division established the task force on Works, Housing, vehicle and Environmental Sanitation.
This was an ad-hoc body, which was military in character and operation and therefore, depended on the application of task force to achieve its objective. The taskforce instituted penalties such as times paid on whips. Compliance with sanitation regulation was with “immediate effect,” hence, the unconditional acceptance by the people to pay the required levies what sustained the operations of the taskforce. Under the situation of fear and force compliance with sanitation regulation, the solution to the problem of decay and squalor, particularly as it related to refuse disposal within Anambra was a temporary basis and might not be sustained nor might it stand the test of the time, in the light of this fact as indicated by Obasi in his contribution. The Anambra State Government later decided to establish a more permanent organ whose mandate would span not only the immediate challenge of ensuring a clean environment but also the long term task of inculcating in the public a heightened and enduring sense of sanitary consciousness.
The efforts to achieve an effective waste disposal management in Anambra Urban notwithstanding, the issue of refuse disposal in Anambra Urban continued to pose enormous problems. The researcher therefore decided to carryout a study in order to find out why these problems have persisted in spite of the efforts and strategies that have been employed.
History of Anambra environmental service
The Anambra state government protection agency (ANSEPA) 5th Oct. 1995 established that agency which is saddled with the responsibility of protection and development of the environment of the state and have function for over ten (10) years without any restricting. The study further reviled that ANSEPA performance on its mandate delivery it was poor as adjudged by sample size of 20 respondents in the hierarchy of ANSEPA officials at a mean score rating of 18%. It operations and functions covers solid waste disposal, flood control erosion control, pollution control, and formed basics for this performance assessment on its service delivery. Her major preoccupation was on solid waste evacuation even without a modern disposal techniques and equipment. The study recommends the type of its edict so as to incorporate public sector reform that the luster effective partnership and urban and rural environmental management mechanism, also the organizational structure should be made free of buratic battle neck and role conflict adopt modern methodology techniques, equipment and proper streamlined enforcement and putative measures for the defaulters of the state.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The management of solid waste particularly has been facing a great problem. There has been the general lack of equipment and exodus of well-trained personnel required for the job. Another problem has been the demolition of built up refuse deposits. There was also lack of refuse disposal vehicle such as closed refuse trucks and open tippers. The heavy equipment such as Bulldozer and pail-loaders required for the maintenance of the final disposal site were also lacking. However, where they exist, many of them are either old or broken down, moreover, the vehicles and heavy equipment that are in order have often been diverted to un-official uses by some field official.
There was also the issue of refuse workers not being properly deployed while the payment of their salaries were most often delayed even for months.
Most importantly, there has been lack of adequate finance, which affected all the facets of the operation of Anambra State waste management Authority in Anambra. Onwumelu put this fact in perspective when he said, “the task of maintaining an Environment free of filth cannot be achieved unless there was fund”.
There is also the need for the basic infrastructural support and equipment or tools.
The study is centered on the operation of the Anambra State waste management Authority. Specifically, the study deals with urban waste disposal in Anambra Urban. It is not concerned with the collection of hazardous or toxic waste, which may also be generated within an urban center given the multiple occupations of Anambra for both residential and commercial/industries purposes.
Also the concern of the study is to investigate the problem of Anambra urban waste disposal and management by Anambra State waste management Authority.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This research work will pose an answer the following questions:
- Would it be appropriate to refer to ASWAMA as not living up to its challenges?
- To what extent has ASWAMA’s activities been hindered by unavailability of materials e.g materials?
- Would ASWAMA be able to generate enough funds to keep our environments clean without government subvention?
- To what extent is it right to say that ASWAMA is under staffed especially in the employment of the skilled manpower?
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this study is to find out whether these indiscriminate heaps of refuse that litter our streets arose out of the lack of the employment of the compete personnel who are experts in the handling of refuse by ASWAMA, or whether it was due to lack of enough machines to cart away these wastes, or again, whether it is as a result of the work’s grievances or whether it is due to government reluctance and misconception of the primary objective for setting up ASWAMA.
To identify the causes of ASWAMA under capacity out-put and to correct the anomalies that prevented ASWAMA from standing up to the challenges of waste disposal management in Anambra State.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is primarily undertaken with the aim of providing some level of information to government, urban development and ASWAMA, which serves as a case study. This study will assist the management of the ASWAMA in making comprehensive review of its waste management policy and strategies.
It is important as a basis for further research on the management of urban waste disposal on how effective is the disposal operation of ASWAMA, as well as how adequate are the equipment at this disposal of ASWAMA for its operation in Anambra and the required funds for the operation of ASWAMA provided.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research study of refuse disposal management is centered on ASWAMA in Anambra State. Its activities in various parts of the state would be given a proper scrutiny and put in the proper perspective.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
This research work was faced with a lot of constraints that made the research to skip certain vital and relevant areas.
These constraints include:
- Finance and Time Constraints: due to lack of finance and time which is not at the researcher’s disposal, the research work was limited to only Anambra metropolis.
- Un-cooperation attitude of the respondents: some of the respondents refused bluntly to be interviewed while others returned their questionnaires blank, may be they thought their responses would reprimand them without being mindful of their earlier assurance that their responses would be treated with the strictest confidence.
- Scarcity of comprehensive literature:
Due to the scarcity of related literatures, it was not very easy for the researcher to lay hand on enough information that is relevant to this study.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Proper disposal of waste: provision made for collection of these waste at a regular interval.
Slum: Street of dirty
Waste: Material or substance that is unwanted because the good part of them has been removed.
Refuse: Waste material that has been thrown away.
Waste disposal: are the activities and actions required to mange waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, treatment and disposal of waste.
Urban waste management: is known as the stator consumption and disposal of waste in urban areas in addition urban waste management help in the eradication of waste on Road Street, market, open spaces, urban rivers and flood plains etc.
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows. Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (background of the study), statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of the study etc. Chapter two being the review of the related literature presents the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and other areas concerning the subject matter. Chapter three is a research methodology covers deals on the research design and methods adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study
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