Recently the internet and social networks have been awash with talk concerning claims made in a sensational story entitled “ESWAMA turns Enugu school into refuse dump site [Photo]” by Emmanuel Uzodinma, Daily Post, 27th February, 2013. The story claimed that the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) has turned the premises of the Obiagu Road Primary School, Enugu into a refuse dump site, and that a visit to the school showed that the main portion of the school’s play ground has been covered by heaps of refuse. The story was dramatically augmented with a photo that appeared to show a huge heap of refuse right inside the compound of the school in question. Read the story and see the photo here: http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/02/27/eswama-turns-enugu-school-into-refuse-dump-site/. Of course many members of the public expressed their outrage at the unacceptable “development”, and many condemned the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA), and blamed the Enugu State Government (ENSG) for the anomaly.
Wanting to know the truth, I set out to visit the school myself to confirm the veracity of the situation as alleged. What I discovered jolted me! The story and the photo are deceptive and misleading! I inspected the school in question and found out the following: the school is completely fenced in; and the garbage heap in question is actually more than half a block away from the school’s fence, behind the school, (which again is completely fenced in); and there is no garbage or refuse heap whatsoever INSIDE the school premises (which again is completely fenced in).
Furthermore while the story misleadingly claims that ESWAMA is “turning the premises of the Obiagu Road Primary School…into a refuse dump site”, the fact is that there is certainly no garbage heap within the school premises which is completely fenced in.
Also while the story misleadingly claims that “a visit to the school…showed that the main part of the school’s play ground has been covered by heaps of refuse”, the truth is that the garbage heap is NOT in the school’s playground; or anywhere within the school premises. As stated the garbage heap is more than half a block away from the school’s fence, behind the school and the school is completely fenced in.
Additionally the report sensationalizes a story concerning one Mrs. Anyegbudike Angelina (the alleged Headmistress of the school), and one Mrs. Eze (who was allegedly incarcerated over the matter), but I am now inclined to believe that those stories are fabrications by the reporter. A pointer is that while the report claims that Mrs. Anyaegbudike allegedly complained about refuse dumped IN THE SCHOOL PREMISES, but physical inspection shows that there is no refuse dumped in the school premises. Besides the possibility of refuse being dumped inside the school premises is doubtful considering that the school premises is completely fenced in. In other words, much like the rest of the report contains various tissues of lies, I suspect that this claim mentioning Mrs, Anyaegbudike and Mrs Eze is also a lie. Let the reporter prove me wrong.
As for the photo that accompanied the report, that photo is a fraud and shame on the so-called journalist that sought to deceive the public via that photo. In reality, and as stated, the garbage is a bit far from the school, outside of the school fence, and not anywhere inside the school, but the photo presented was clearly distorted or aligned or arranged or manipulated or photo-shopped or adulterated in such a way that it appeared as if the garbage heap was actually inside the school when, in fact, it is not. The photo is a fraud, and an unpardonable evidence of journalistic dishonesty!
Anyway, of course, the matter will be looked into by the appropriate authority, but let’s call a spade a spade, this story was very deceitful, misleading, and a lie. Obviously its only intention was simply to twist the facts so much as to embarrass ENSG, and to portray ENSG in as much bad light as possible. Surely, this is another example of the dishonesty and deliberate criminality of ebeano media operatives in their quest to defame Gov Chime and the ENSG!
Now about Enugu being clean, apparently no matter how many times I tell you here that Enugu is very clean, ebeano-paid hacks (you know them) will still come out here to scream that Enugu is dirty etc. So why not try a third source for your confirmation? Call your family and friends in Nigeria and ask them whether Enugu is clean or not. Or better yet, pay a visit to Enugu and see for yourself. You will be amazed and very pleased at what you will see!
Gone are the dirt and the muck and the grime and the crime and the dust and the disease and the disorder and the lawlessness and the social cannibalism and societal suicide that were the hallmarks of the EBEANO ERA. Instead you will see a brand new Enugu, a clean, orderly Enugu, a complete opposite of the Enugu you endured under Chimaroke, and survived.
Folks, come to Enugu now and you will see for yourself a new Enugu that in less than four years has become the fastest growing city in Africa (perhaps in the whole world) – what with nicely paved roads, clean streets, running taps, street lights everywhere, well-equipped Urban Patrol cars parked at every other corner, nice, clean taxis, nice, clean buses and Keke-Napeps, new cars being driven by many Coal City residents, beautiful colourful houses, booming nightlife, peace and relative security of lives and property etc. All this brought to ndi-Enugu courtesy of the goodness of His Excellency Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime. This is the reality of the Coal City that we are talking about here. Forget about the ebeano naysayers that permanently stalk Gov Chime and ENSG on the internet. Come to Enugu and see for yourself!
By Ambrose Agu
Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria
