For many residents of Port Harcourt, the waste crisis is no longer just an environmental issue; it is a daily struggle to breathe, live, and do business.
Across Ada George, Obiri-Ikwerre, and NTA-Ngboba Road, along the East-West Road spanning Rumuosi, Alakahia, and Choba, frustration is boiling over as heaps of uncollected refuse continue to grow in the median, filling the air with a stench that residents say has become unbearable.
Some of the residents and business owners said the situation is affecting their businesses as the number of customers has reduced due to the stench coming from the waste.
They fear their health may be adversely affected if the waste is not evacuated immediately.
“We can’t breathe well again,” one resident in Choba said, covering his nose as he spoke. “This thing is affecting our health, and nobody is doing anything about it.”
At the NTA Road axis, business owners say the situation is hitting them where it hurts most, their income.
“Customers don’t even stop here anymore,” a shop owner lamented. “The smell alone will drive you away. We are losing money every day because of this refuse.”
In Rumuosi and Obiri-Ikwerre, the story is no different. Residents say the waste has been left unattended for a long time, forcing them into difficult choices.
“We don’t like dumping refuse on the road,” one resident explained. “But what option do we have? There are no proper places provided for us. No one is coming to pick it up.”
Many of them insist that the blame should not be placed entirely on residents, arguing that the lack of consistent waste collection and poor infrastructure has left communities with little or no alternative.
Beyond the immediate discomfort, some residents are also angry, and they are directing that anger at the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) and the state government.
“They have abandoned their primary responsibility,” a trader in Obiri-Ikwerre said bluntly. “Everything now is politics. If they cannot do the work, they should step aside for people who can.”
Amid the growing public outcry, RIWAMA says it is aware of the situation and is already taking steps to address it.
The agency’s Managing Director, Dr. Ibinima Wokoma, attributed the recent surge in waste to a strike action by waste contractors, who had stopped work while demanding an increase in payment. According to him, the strike disrupted waste collection across several parts of the state.
He, however, noted that the situation has now been brought under control, following intervention by the agency and support from the Rivers State Government.
“The contractors have suspended the strike, and we are working to clear the backlog of waste, he said.
Dr. Wokoma also pointed to other underlying challenges, including population growth, the activities of illegal waste handlers (cart pushers), and non-compliance with waste disposal regulations by some residents.
To tackle the problem more effectively, he said RIWAMA plans to reintroduce monitoring and enforcement teams, while also expanding its operational capacity with newly acquired waste collection trucks.
He added that ongoing work at a new dump site would soon improve the efficiency of waste evacuation, with noticeable improvements expected from May 2026.
A visit to the agency’s office showed signs of these preparations, including newly procured trucks and sanitation marshals undergoing training.
But for many residents, these assurances offer little comfort, at least for now.
What they want is simple: cleaner streets, regular waste collection, and a system that works.
Until that happens, the piles of refuse and the anger they are generating are likely to remain a defining feature of daily life in parts of Port Harcourt.
