The Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) has announced the sacking of four Service Providers over poor performances.

The Sole Administrator of the Agency, Felix Obuah, who announced the termination of the services of the contractors during a meeting held with Service Providers at the RIWAMA office in Port Harcourt, gave the names of the affected companies as Steve and Crescent (Nigeria) Limited, covering Ikwerre Road, Olu-Obasanjo and Abuja By-Pass; Numac Project, covering Aluu, SARS Road and Elikpokpodu; Prudent Engineering, covering Eliozu, Rumunduru and East-West Road; and Passion Blade (Nigeria) Limited, covering Rukpokwu, Eneka Road and environs.

Represented by RIWAMA’s Director of Administration, Mr. Ian Abraham Gobo, the Sole Administrator said the Agency took the decision after series of warnings were issued to the affected contractors.

Obuah stated that the action of the Agency was further premised on the need to arrest the increasing dirtiness which of late had been witnessed in the areas covered by the sacked contractors.

He also explained that the Agency took the action following the lackadaisical attitude of these contractors which had become a source of worry, disclosing that the Agency was up to date with payment of monthly service fees to all contractors.

Obuah said the Agency was also aware of the fact that a lot of refuse were being generated in this season of corn harvest, but noted that it was not an excuse for contractors not to do their job.

“I believe that this will also serve as a warning to other contractors and also cause them to do their businesses in a way that is sustainable and with the maximum efficiency that is demanded of them particularly at this time,” he stated.

On the steps taken by the Agency to curb the littering of roads and median of garbage in parts of the city of Port Harcourt, the Sole Administrator said the situation would soon be a thing of the past.

As a first step, Obuah said all those selling corn, roasted yam and plantain, suya and operating mini kiosks have been ordered to provide waste bins where peels would be deposited and later disposed at the approved receptacles, adding that an enforcement team has been set up to monitor and ensure strict compliance.

“Our monitoring team would also visit households to find out where bagging of refuse is not being carried out. We want to encourage residents to bag their refuse and dispose them at the approved receptacles,” he said.

Obuah promised to speed up work on the two dump sites under construction in Igwuruta and Igbo Etche, adding that Iwofe dumping site has been closed on the orders of the State government.

The Sole Administrator also hinted that more receptacles would be approved to ease the disposal of refuse all over Port Harcourt metropolis.

“We stress for the umpteenth time that the dumping of refuse on the median is illegal and that is why we have commissioned a team to go round with our consultants to identify areas within 200 meters, particularly along the major roads where more receptacles will be cited,” Obuah said.

He assured Service Providers that the agency would heed to some of their complaints and work out modalities to ensure efficient service delivery.

Some of the contractors who spoke at the meeting thanked the Sole Administrator for the cordial working relationship with the agency and promised to up their efforts for improved performances.

They complained of constant harassment from communities and security agents in course of doing their jobs at night, adding that these sometime contribute to their delay in carrying out evacuation of refuse as against the directive of the Agency.

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