Residents of Imo State, especially those who live around the Shoprite mall on Egbu Road in Owerri North Local Government Area of the state, have appealed to Governor Hope Uzodimma to order the evacuation of the heaps of refuse oozing out offensive odour on the road.

The residents lamented that there were many other refuse dumps in Owerri, the state capital, adding that the pockets of refuse heaps had developed into huge dumps.

Some of the affected areas are MCC/Uratta Road, World Bank Road, Ekeonunwa Market and Aba Road, among others.

They regretted that refuse dumps at the heart of Owerri and its suburbs had defaced the beautiful nature of the capital city and the eastern heartland.

A resident, Mr Vincent Biose, told our correspondent on Monday that before now, the roads were not refuse dumps, but that they were later turned to dumps by residents of the state.

Another resident, Chief Elias Nduma, stated that some of the link roads from Egbu Road to MCC/Uratta Road had been rehabilitated and warned residents not to dump refuse along the roads.

Mrs Juliana Osuji complained of the repulsive odour emanating from the refuse dumps, stating that those that were living around them had suffered one health challenge or the other.

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She called on the Imo State Waste Management Agency to come and clear the heaps of refuse dumped on the roads, adding that they were an eyesore.

She also noted the existence of three big heaps along the MCC/Uratta Road before the Toronto junction, lamenting that living had become miserable for those, who reside around the heaps of garbage.

Osuji called on the governor to order the immediate evacuation of the refuse from the road now that the state government was working on the MCC/Uratta Road.

The Chairman of the Imo State Waste Management Agency, Mr Peter Ezeobi, said efforts were on to evacuate all the refuse heaps on roads in the state.

Ezeobi stated, “We have cleared the refuse dumps on the Douglas Road, MCC/Uratta Road and Aba Road. As I speak to you, it is only remaining evacuating the refuse on Dike Tiger area and Ikenegbu, which the evacuators are presently doing.

“We knew why they have stayed before the recent evacuation. The state government has provided all the logistics for the evacuation. Within the shortest time, they will all be cleared.”