BY EDET IKOTIDEM
The decision of the State Government to ban street trading in Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom state, should be welcomed by any well-meaning citizen who cares about the cleanliness, aesthetics, safety and security in the metropolis.
In Uyo and in many other cities in the federation, street trading has been a lingering issue of environmental and social concern.
Street traders and their commercial activities have generated filth, clogged traffic, impaired road safety and created havens for criminal elements.
One needs to take a look at portions of Oron road, Ikpa road, Nwaniba road, Ibom Plaza by Abak road, Itam Junction and Udo Umana street to see the litter, traffic hold up and criminal activities often associated with street trading in urban areas like Uyo.
There is no question that it is the menace of street trading in combination with the poor environmental habits of some residents that have often defaced Uyo metropolis with refuse, despite the state government’s best efforts to keep Akwa Ibom State Capital clean.
This results in bushes growing out of refuse dumps which emerged from careless waste disposal practice.
Also, gutters built to channel surface water can be seen to harbor debris put there by some residents who have turned them into refuse dumps.
Ironically, those who sweep the streets of Uyo with the mandate of keeping the city clean merely push the dirt on the road surface into the gutters, thereby compounding issues.
Although there are designated points where refuse are dumped and evacuated by government, residents of the city are not painstaking to ensure that they pack their wastes in bags to drop in waste bins site for proper evacuation.
Usually, household wastes are found strewn all over the dump sites.
It is quite obvious that the problem of uncleanliness in the city of Uyo comes from poor environmental habits of some residents.
It is time such residents turn a new leaf, bearing in mind that a filthy environment is the breeding ground for mosquitoes and micro-organism that could cause harm to human health.
One hopes that the decision of the Ministry of Environment to clear the streets of the capital city of traders will go a long way in ensuring that the city has a pride of place in the community of clean cities.
If traders are taken off the streets to designated areas, it will not only improve the aesthetics of the capital city but it will address the health concerns of the residents.
Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State, which is a national destination as well as an industrial and investment hub, cannot afford to leave its gutters breeding mosquitoes.
It must be a place for safe livelihoods and fresh air allures investors and other visitors.
To achieve this, relevant government authorities should continue to ensure prompt evacuation of refuse while residents must shun unhealthy sanitation habits.
It is our collective obligation to keep the Uyo capital city clean and tidy.
