Benue Deploys 200 Waste Containers Across Makurdi as Indiscriminate Dumping Worsens

The Benue State Government has begun deploying 200 iron-built waste containers across Makurdi, in an effort to address the persistent problem of indiscriminate refuse disposal in the state capital.

The intervention comes amid growing concerns over littered streets, accumulating waste points and blocked drainage channels, which residents say are contributing to environmental degradation and increasing the risk of flooding.

While some residents blame poor waste-disposal habits for the situation, others attribute the problem to inadequate waste containers, particularly in parts of Makurdi where residents have limited access to designated disposal points.

One resident said households sometimes have nowhere convenient to dispose of their refuse, forcing some people to resort to dumping waste in their surroundings.

The state government plans to place the new containers at strategic locations, including hospitals, markets, offices and other public gathering points, to make responsible waste disposal more accessible.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Folu Boro, said the initiative would not be limited to Makurdi, explaining that the government intends to extend the distribution to other parts of the state.

“We start from here and move to Gboko, we move to Nasarawa and move to all the local governments to distribute these buckets in all the local governments.”

However, authorities acknowledge that providing waste containers is only part of the solution.

The General Manager of the relevant environmental agency, Antai Brato, said the agency would ensure that the containers are properly allocated to deserving locations and individuals and used for their intended purpose.

“Our duty is to ensure that we allocate those buckets to the deserving areas and individuals, so that the issue of dumping of waste indiscriminately will be a thing of the past.”

The Commissioner also appealed to residents to take responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean and to avoid dumping refuse in gutters.

He warned that blocked drainage channels could obstruct the free flow of water and worsen flooding, stressing that maintaining functional drainage systems remains one of the ministry's responsibilities.

The government says the intervention is intended to make proper waste disposal easier, while encouraging residents to work with authorities to maintain a cleaner and safer Makurdi.