The Cross River House of Assembly has asked the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Mfon Bassey, to appear before it on Tuesday, to explain reasons for the poor evacuation of refuse within the Calabar metropolis.
Also summoned are the Director General of Cross River Waste Management Agency, Mr Sunday Oko, the Executive Secretary of Calabar Urban Development Authority, Mr JoeMary Ekeng; the Chairman of Calabar Municipality, Mr Effefiong Nta-Eke, his counterpart in Calabar South, Mrs Esther Bassey, and contractors operating with the ministry of environment and the waste management agency.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Joseph Bassey, on Friday, at plenary, moved the motion to summon heads of the relevant agencies under matters of urgent public importance.
Bassey bemoaned the uncleared heaps of refuse along some major streets in Calabar metropolis, saying the refuse heaps are capable of causing an epidemic and a possible cholera outbreak if not quickly evacuated.
According to him, it is worrisome that the state capital may have lost its once befitting sobriquent as the neatest city in Nigeria.
“In Calabar South today, over 80 per cent of the streets have been blocked totally by refuse dump sites and some persons can no longer access their homes.
“We want these government agencies to appear before the house and tell residents in Cross River why the state capital is having refuse dump sites on major roads,” he said.
Bassey, who represents Calabar South II in the house, expressed concern over the delay in the evacuation of refuse by the relevant agencies and contractors.
He assured his constituents of his commitment towards promoting a clean environment for business and other activities to thrive.
Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Eteng Jonah-Williams, who summarised the house resolution on the matter, urged heads of the relevant agencies to appear with their contractors before the house on Oct. 25.
