Sylva mobilises Bayelsa APC members to clear refuse

The Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, has mobilised women and youths of the party to evacuate refuse in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

On Tuesday, the APC rolled out refuse trucks, caterpillars and other earth-moving equipment to carry out clean-up of the various areas where heaps of refuse were noticed.

Also on hand to assist the operators of the refuse equipment were scores of party faithful, comprising young ladies, women and youths.

The party faithful, who adorned vests with inscription, ‘APC cleans Bayelsa,’ had trooped out with their brooms, buckets, shovels, rakes and other items to clean the state capital.

The party faithful were shared in groups to different parts of the metropolis to clear the garbages at strategic locations such as Swali market, Kpansia market, Kpansia Community Secondary School, Opolo market, among others.

But following the development, the Bayelsa State Government was said to have quickly mobilised contractors to clear the garbages.

The development saw the APC members and government contractors clearing the heaps of refuse side by side.

It was observed in Okaka area of the state that while the APC members were clearing the one opposite Berger, the government contractors were clearing the one opposite the FCMB.

Before the clash of interest, the government contractors had cleared the garbage dumps at OMPADEC junction, Ekeki Park near the Deputy Governor’s residence on Toolda Street as well as the one by Okaka Primary School.

Giving insight into what led to the exercise, the Director, Media and Publicity, Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, lamented that the government had not been able to manage the environmental sanitation situation in the state.

This is just as the Dickson campaign team, Restoration Campaign Organisation, accused the APC of being responsible for the heaps of refuse in Yenagoa.

While carpeting the APC for engaging in the flash sanitation, RCDO described the exercise as “the deceitful style of campaign” by the opposition.

But Egba said, “The reason for doing this is simple: everybody living in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, now knows that the government is not able to manage the environmental sanitation situation in the state.

“As a result, epidemics and other diseases are likely to break out. There are instances where such rubbish is piled up in front of schools and market places. The private residence of the deputy governor is suffering similar fate.

“The idea is simple: to help the government clear up the places and to ensure that our people are able to live in epidemic and disease free environment.”

Egba said the exercise, which would be a continuous one, would be replicated in other parts of the state, noting that they had received invitations for assistance from other communities in the state.

Reacting to the development, Dickson’s campaign team called on the APC to look for other sane and more dignifying means of campaign.

The RCO advised Bayelsans and other residents of the state to be wary of the antics of the APC members “who are desperate to grab power through the back door by advancing various dubious means.”

The Director of Media and Publicity, RCO, Jonathan Obuebite, said the flash sanitation exercise carried out by the APC “has now confirmed to everyone the earlier assertion that it is indeed the so-called change party that is responsible for the heap of refuse around the state, particularly in Yenagoa the state capital.”

Obuebite described as embarrassing such cruel campaign strategy of the APC, adding that “they decided to carry out the show of shame on a day that is usually set aside by the state sanitation authority for evacuation.”