De Choice Mall-Uyo: Unmasking those endangering and ‘de-marketing’ Akwa Ibom (2)
By Moses Tom
Given the mounting piles of trash strewn over the streets of Uyo, Akwa Ibom is at the risk of losing its title as the Cleanest State in Nigeria. The state and its citizens are in health danger and are being de-marketed by those who are supposed to be protecting them. In the 1st part of this series, Morenews.ng revealed how Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, AKSEPWMA, puts Akwa Ibom in peril and “de-markets” the state, posing a risk to the health of Uyo residents.
In this 2nd part of the series, we identify De Choice Mall-Uyo as one of those endangering and ‘de-marketing’ Akwa Ibom, causing impending health hazards in Uyo.
De Choice Mall-Uyo, strategically located in the heart of Uyo (5/7 Ikot Ekpene Road) adjacent to Polaris Bank, prides itself as a one-stop shopping center serving three main functions: a pharmacy, a fast food restaurant, and a superstore. Given its popularity in town, De Choice Mall-Uyo owes Uyo community a world-class social responsibility that ought to include protecting the environmental cleanliness of its host community.
Unfortunately, the reverse is the case doing the exact opposite of what is expected of organisation of such caliber. Do not be deceived by its aesthetics and the aroma it radiates, De Choice Mall-Uyo poses serious health hazards in Uyo. What goes on in its backyard is an eyesore.
On 5th November, 2018, stakeholders in the area under the aegis of Eka Street/Itam Street Landlords Association notified De Choice Mall-Uyo of the impending health hazard it has posed to them and sought redress but to no avail.
Entitled ‘NOTIFICATION OF IMPENDING HEALTH HAZARD’, the protest letter jointly signed by the Community Development Chairman, Elder Udoh E. and Secretary, Emmanuel Iniobong Effiong read:
“This is to bring to your notice that residents of Itam Street, Eka Street and its environs are at risk of an epidemic breakout. This is due to the continuous evacuation of food waste and sludge through the drainage system servicing the area, by your establishment. It is instructive to note that the action of your establishment has caused the blockage of the drainage path and the decaying sludge has put us in perpetual discomfort and that if the ugly situation is not handled properly, may lead to an outbreak of disease.
“Consequently, we the resident of the affected community call on you for a meeting on Friday 16th November, 2018 and also to construct a sewage tank to properly evacuate your waste. This would not only remedy the situation but ensure that we do not suffer such unavoidable crises. However, if our request is not met, we will have no other options, but to seek redress through available civil means.”
Although the Manager of De Choice Mall-Uyo met the community and pledged to remedy the situation, six months later, specifically on 8th April, 2019 the organisation did not keep its word, forcing the community to petition the Ministry of Environment Mineral Resources.
In a letter to the Commissioner through the Director of Health Services, the community regretted that De Choice Mall-Uyo has been paying lip service and playing politics with their health.
“We write to bring to your notice the impending health hazard that would emanate from the dirty and stinking water, channeled out from De-CHOICES Shopping Mall at Ikot Ekpene Road into the gutter at Itam
Street.
“”It is instructive to note that the community has made all efforts to make them see reason and avoid the impending danger that could lead to an outbreak of disease by inviting them to a meeting, which they obliged and promised to remedy the situation within two (2) weeks. But all our efforts have been met with deaf ears. Therefore, we are imploring you to use your good offices and call them to order,” they decried.
Rach time the community brings up the issue, De Choice Mall Uyo would promise “to remedy the situation within two (2) weeks””. Up till now, five years after the SOS from the people and residents of Itam Street and Eka Street, Uyo, the tricky De Choice Mall-Uyo is yet to remedy the situation as the company keeps chunking its sewage into public drainage with impunity under the nose of Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, AKSEPWMA, and the Ministry of Environment.
Despite constant petitions and reminders from the community, AKSEPWMA and the Ministry of Environment have failed to call De Choice Mall Uyo to order. They have failed to use their “good office(s) to call them to order”.
Thus, Itam Street and Eka Street and their environs that are already facing an impending epidemic from an abandoned refuse dump point, are truly in great health hazards.