| ENUGU – The Enugu State House of Assembly on Monday expressed its displeasure with the treatment of the people by officials of the state waste management authority (ESWAMA).
The issue came to the fore during a meeting between the assembly ad-hoc joint committees on environment and security and ESWAMA officials in Enugu.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Edward Ubosi (PDP-Enugu East Urban) said the state government appreciated the revenue drive by officials of the authority but decried the methods adopted by its operatives.
He advised them to device more civilised and friendly means of performing their functions without physically molesting the people.
The Managing Director of ESWAMA, Mr Dom Okonkwo, had earlier denied complicity in the death of one Chidiebere Edeh, allegedly killed on April 7 by persons working with the authority.
He said that he was not aware of the circumstances relating to the death of Edeh at Abakpa, Enugu.
Okonkwo described the incident as very sorrowful and unfortunate and explained that most members of the enforcement staff were recruited on ad-hoc basis.
“We follow due process in arresting people. We serve the offender abatement notice, summons and warrant of arrest except for offences committed on the spot,’’ he said.
Okonkwo said that as a result of the reported death of Edeh, all the enforcement teams of ESWAMA were dissolved while it had entered into a partnership with security agents for the proper training of the field staff.
The committee was constituted by the assembly following public out-cry and protest against the death of Edeh.
The committee was directed to investigate and unravel the circumstances that led to the death of the 17-year-old SS-3 student. (NAN) |
