Residents Demand Action on Ogun Dumpsite Delay

Tension rose at the Ifo Local Government Secretariat on Wednesday as residents expressed anger over the delay in evacuating a dumpsite in the area. The council chairman, Mr Olamilekan Kushimo, told them the evacuation would take time, but residents insisted that action was needed fast to prevent a health crisis.

The protesters marched from the NNPC filling station to the council secretariat, carrying placards. Their march briefly stopped traffic on the old Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Residents claim the dumpsite has become a major health risk. They said it has also worsened the condition of the only road linking the expressway to over 80 communities and villages in the area.

Before the protest started, the head of the butchers’ association in Ifo, Tajudeen Gbogbolebu, urged the government to step in. “This place is not good. If the government can fix this dumpsite, more people will come and buy the meat we sell. We need the government to come and help us here,” he said.

At the secretariat, chairman Olamilekan Kushimo acknowledged the concerns of the residents. He said they had made efforts to clear the site. “As the Executive Chairman of Ifo Local Government, I am not happy to see that place in its current state. We have visited the area several times and even brought equipment for inspection,” he stated.

Kushimo mentioned that the main problem was finding a suitable place to relocate the waste. “We have engaged the state government and officials of OGWAMA on the issue. The problem is where to move the waste to. Suggestions that it should be dumped in a canal were rejected because that could create another health crisis and block waterways.

“We have identified alternative locations, but the host communities rejected the proposal. The government is already working on the issue, but it is a process that requires approvals, meetings, and consultations with affected communities,” he added.

Many protesters were not satisfied with the chairman’s explanation. Tension increased when he mentioned that the process could take months, causing angry reactions from the crowd. They accused him of not caring about their welfare.

Things heated up when some protesters claimed that the chairman made dismissive facial expressions while speaking to them. The crowd became even more upset when Kushimo invited PUNCH Metro and other media to his office for an interview.

PUNCH Metro insisted that any further interview with the chairman should happen publicly to avoid any bias. However, the chairman did not return to speak to the crowd before PUNCH Metro left the scene.

A pastor and the convener of the Make Ogun State Great Again Movement, Olawoye Kayode, found the chairman’s response disappointing. “We have suffered from political leaders who come into office and leave without making any meaningful impact. That dumpsite has been there for more than 35 years. Over time, the population around it increased, but successive governments failed to address the problem,” he said.

Kayode explained that the dumpsite is now both an environmental and health threat. “The dumpsite has encroached on the road, causing serious damage. It is also located directly beside the market where food items are sold. We are worried about the possibility of a cholera outbreak and other health risks. We want the government to help us evacuate it,” he added.

He said residents were particularly let down because they had met with Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, who promised action. “The commissioner told us the evacuation could be completed within 12 days and that discussions had already been held with contractors. We came to the local government chairman expecting reassurance, but instead, he told us it could take months and gave no clear timeline,” he said.

Another protester, Oluwashola Busayo, mentioned that residents had tried every way to get government help. “We have spent our money and written several letters to the chairman and the Ogun State Government, but nothing has changed. We do not want diseases such as cholera to affect our people.

“We are disappointed by the way the chairman addressed us. We believe that if the local government collaborates with the state government, the dumpsite can be cleared without difficulty,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Environment, Oresanya, had earlier assured residents in a separate exclusive interview with PUNCH Metro that the government was already working towards relocating the dumpsite.