The Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has unveiled a new fleet of modern waste management equipment comprising 10 state-of-the-art refuse compactors, seven automated road sweepers, and 200 large-capacity dumpsters, saying it marked another major step in his administration’s drive to build a clean, climate-investment-friendly, and competitive state.
Conducting the unveiling on Tuesday at the Old Government Lodge, Enugu, the governor said the step further underscored the administration’s commitment to environmental sustainability as a cornerstone of economic growth, public health, and urban development.
Speaking through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Mbah described the acquisition as more than the procurement of equipment, but a clear statement of intent to strengthen the backbone of Enugu State’s environmental infrastructure.
“Today’s event is a demonstration of our administration’s commitment to building the Enugu State of the future. With the introduction of these compactors, automated sweepers, and modern dumpsters, we are advancing a vision that places cleanliness, order, and sustainability at the heart of our development agenda,” the governor said.
He explained that the additional compactors, complementing existing ones, would guarantee faster and more efficient evacuation of waste across the state, while the automated street sweepers would transform Enugu closer to the standards of modern, well-planned cities around the world. The newly deployed dumpsters, he added, would eliminate indiscriminate waste disposal by bringing proper waste collection points closer to residents.
Governor Mbah stressed that environmental reform remained a central pillar of his administration, noting that no city could attract investors, grow tourism, or guarantee public health if it was overwhelmed by waste.
“A clean city is a competitive city. A clean city is a healthy city. A clean city is a city ready for growth,” he declared, adding that the reforms being implemented at the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) were designed to support the state’s broader ambitions in infrastructure expansion, industrialisation, and investment attraction.
While unveiling the equipment, the governor also called on residents to play their part by embracing responsible waste disposal and environmental discipline, stressing that government efforts could only be sustained with active public cooperation.
He urged citizens to stop littering streets, drains, and open spaces indiscriminately and to make proper use of the dumpsters provided by the administration.
Earlier in his address, the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Sam Ugwu, described the unveiling as an epoch-making event and a significant milestone in the state’s waste management journey.
He recalled that Enugu State won a national award last year as the cleanest state capital in Nigeria, attributing the achievement to the governor’s deep interest in environmental cleanliness and sustainability.
Prof. Ugwu also highlighted key policy interventions under the Mbah administration, including the signing into law of the Enugu State Environmental Protection Law in 2024 and the approval of the Climate Change Policy and Action Plan.
“These vehicles will enhance our operational capacity to keep our streets clean and provide a healthier environment for all residents,” the commissioner said, assuring that trained operators were already on the ground and that the equipment would be deployed immediately.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of ESWAMA, Mr. Richard Onaga, thanked the governor for what he described as a bold and visionary investment in modern waste management.
According to him, the acquisition of the compactors, waste bins, and automated sweepers would significantly improve efficiency in waste collection and street cleaning across both urban and semi-urban areas of the state, especially at a time of rapid population growth and urban expansion.
Onaga assured that the equipment would be judiciously utilized, properly maintained, and strategically deployed to deliver maximum value to residents, pledging ESWAMA’s full alignment with the governor’s vision of a cleaner and greener Enugu.
