Solid waste disposal is the most serious environmental problem encountered across the market places in Nigeria. The problem of uncoordinated waste disposal has been a huge concern in Ekiti State, as waste from markets are disposed along the road occupying half of the road, forcing vehicles, motorcyclists and pedestrians to share the little available space resulting in traffic jam or even erratic behaviors by motorists.
Waste from markets which are often dumped very close to where goods are displayed for sell can be attributed to laissez-faire attitude of some traders, who in an attempt to dispose their waste allow it to drop on the way without much concern to pick them up, even the ones who are careful enough to package them in the assigned waste bag, often end up dumping their waste few inches near the designated waste site. The most rampant behavior towards waste disposal occurs during rainfall, market traders have the habit of throwing their waste inside the draining, bearing in mind that the water/runoff will carry it away; but have failed to ask themselves; where and who is the end receiver of these wastes.
Research has shown that women who are one of the main generators of solid waste are not involved in the waste management process. Itβs in view of this that TGED FOUNDATION visited the market women leaders during their weekly meetings held at the Kingβs palace to sensitize them on the role of women in waste management.
During her speech, the team lead of TGED FOUNDATION, Oluwaseyi Ebenezer called on the women to take active participation in managing their waste and to desist from the thought that it is solely the responsibility of the government to do so. According to her, failure to do so will give rise to a number of vector diseases such as lassa fever and malaria. She further charged the women to use their position as market leaders to ensure that the market surroundings are always kept clean. She educated the women on the importance of compositing as a way of reducing food waste generated in the market that would have ended up in landfills. According to her, food waste such as vegetables and other food waste materials can be composted and the end product used as organic manure for agricultural purposes.
She reminded the women that the Ekiti State Waste Management Authority Law under Section 33 prohibits certain waste disposal practices such as burning of waste, disposing of waste in any water body and dumping of waste along the street as any person who contravenes the law shall be convicted with s fine of 10 thousands naira for individual and 50 thousand naira for the market if the contravention is done by the market people in general.
At the end of the meeting, the Chairperson of the Market Women Leader, Chief Mrs Abibat Ogunjobi (Iyaloja) thanked TGED FOUNDATION for coming to educate them on the role of women in managing and protecting the environment. She promised to always do what it takes to keep the market clean. At the end of the sensitization, TGED FOUNDATION donated waste nylon bags to the market women and charged them to join the fight for a sustainable environment.