The Eastern Waste Management Company has dismissed allegations of extortion and fraud levelled against it by one Mr Fabian Ihekweme, popularly known as Omu.
Fielding questions from newsmen over the allegation, Managing Director of the Company, Mr Cyril Njoku wondered why any patriotic Imolite could accuse the company of fraud and extortion when the company has made huge difference in waste disposal and environmental cleanliness within the short period of its operation in the state.
He said the company has been evacuating waste from government agencies and the state secretariat since January and has only just sent them a bill, which the management of the state secretariat has refused to pay.
He wondered how the company is expected to function properly, paying its workers, pay for diesel, maintain its trucks if people and entities refuse to pay their bill.
On the allegation that the company has reneged on its promise to engage in waste recycling, Mr Njoku disclosed that the company had already ordered and paid for the recycling equipment, including; incinerating, sorting, recycling and composting machines, waiting for the ongoing construction work on the site of the plant to be completed, before the equipment could be brought in and installed.
He said: First, work is ongoing on the land at Agbala where EWAMAC is located. Construction must first be complete before the incinerating, sorting, recycling, and composting plants are installed. Once construction is complete, these machines will be installed, because all of it have been ordered and paid for by the company.
“Based on the ppp agreement with the state, the company does not receive funding from government, but has to keep the state clean by evacuating waste that residents and businesses dispose on the metallic bins on the streets. As a matter of fact, we do it more efficiently than it has been since the regime of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim. Owerri has not been this clean. We evacuate waste from the streets both night and day.
“Residents and businesses have to pay for evacuation of their wastes on the metallic bins on the streets, since the company does not receive funding from government.
The M.D said it is ridiculous for Ihekweme to allege that refuse was blocking some areas in the state, while in the actual fact what the company keep receiving is commendation from Imolites who have been appreciating it for promptly disposing waste in all parts of the capital territory.
“It shows that those feeding him with information are not feeding him right, a fact-finding visit to all the areas mentioned in the malicious writeup will convince any interesting Imolites that Omu is only out for a hatchet job of character assassination.
The allegation of closing all businesses in the state and exorbitant billing for refuse disposition is neither here nor there. The bills on business premises and government agencies are reasonable. Few business premises which reneged on their responsibility to pay their bills were temporarily sealed off to compel compliance, which has already been settled.
