In that piece, I narrated how the aforementioned road had been littered with mammoth refuse dumps at designated waste receptacles sites with the Anambra State Waste Management Agency(ASWAMA)-the body charged with emptying the waste receptacle and keeping the state clean- maintaining a blind eye to that overwhelming and overflowing refuse dumps.

I also stated in that article my efforts at calling the commissioner for environment Anambra state, Chief. Evaris Uba, to report the situation and seek urgent actions but the man pleaded that I call him back after the national/presidential elections so that he can look into the issue.

I allowed him one more week after the elections- to allow the tension cool- and on Wednesday, 8th April, 2015 at 09:20am, I sent the commissioner a six-paged text message narrating the very ugly situation of the environment in the Ifite-Unizik road as well as the situation along the Anambra state ministry of works road where the drainage was blocked with sand in two location-instead of using culverts- by developers to enable them gain access with their cars to their various sites.

I sent the text message from Ibadan, in Southwest Nigeria, where I have gone for a two-day workshop on CLP Sustainability and script Writing organised by the Institute for Media and Society(IMESO) for Commonwealth of Learning(COL). 

Yet to get a response from the commissioner on my message, I called him the next morning to confirm his receipt of my message and he indeed confirmed that he got the message and that he has forwarded it to the concerned ASWAMA officials and that they work it soon.

I called my friend who lives close to the site of the biggest waste dump to be on the look out for the ASWAMA officials at the site anytime soon and alert me as soon as they arrive as I was traveling back to Anambra state from Ibadan that morning after the workshop had ended the previous night.

My friend called some minutes later to inform me that the ASWAMA officials have arrived and are packing the refuse dump. I told him to get me one or two pictures of the on spot packing of the refuse so that when I return, I can then come my self and personally take the pictures of the cleaned site. He did.

Now, I am happy to report that the huge refuse dumps along Ifite-Unizik road that have lasted for about two months are no more as ASWAMA has packed and cleaned up the area in a manner they have never done for some time now. I was so impressed when I went to inspect the sites and take pictures. I have already sent an SMS to the commissioner to confirm the prompt action of ASWAMA following his directive and thanked him for reacting quickly.

 It leaves a lasting smile on my face that I am able to help my community this way. I am indeed delighted.

For the blocked drainage along the Ministry of Works road, I will keep you informed as I push on for more action.