Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has announced plans to permanently relocate the major refuse dumpsitelocated along the busy Port Harcourt Airport–Obiri-Ikwerre Road, describing it as a public health hazard and an eyesore for visitors entering the state capital.
The governor made the disclosure on Tuesday during an inspection visit to a proposed alternative dumpsite — a disused burrow pit near Bambo Estate, off Eneka Road in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area — now being considered as the state’s new permanent refuse disposal site.
Governor Fubara, who was accompanied by the Chairman of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, and the Managing Director, Dr. Ibimina Wokoma, said the decision was part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring environmental sustainability and public health safety.
“The kind of environmental hazards that we are facing along the Airport–Obiri-Ikwerre Road, especially the offensive smell that welcomes visitors into the state, is not proper,” Fubara said. “We are making alternative arrangements to establish a permanent dumpsite that meets acceptable environmental standards.”
The governor assured that the state government would expedite the formal acquisition of the new site and develop the necessary infrastructure to make it fully functional.
“We have not concluded the issue of the burrow pit, but the access road is already receiving attention. I will ensure that everything required for the government to take ownership of this land is completed,” he added.
Governor Fubara commended the management of RIWAMA for adopting a more proactive approach to waste management, noting that visible improvements have already been recorded across Port Harcourt and its environs.
He emphasized that relocating the dumpsite would further enhance the state’s ongoing efforts to maintain cleanliness, safeguard public health, and improve the aesthetic image of Rivers State.
During the tour, the governor also visited the Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters project site at Elimgbu Town, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where he inspected the progress of construction work and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving public infrastructure across the state.
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