Rivers State government has declared its readiness to demolish all illegal dump sites in Port Harcourt, the state capital, in a bid to save the city from growing environmental hazards. It is issuing a seven-day ultimatum to scavengers to vacate such dump sites or face the wrath of the law.

The state’s Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi who drove around the Trans-Amadu industrial area of the city on vacation enforcement operation, said that the proliferation of the dump sites contributes to the environmental hazards and threatens healthy living.

Bipi warned scavengers to vacate all such sites before the ultimatum expired, to enable the Physical Planning and Urban Development Ministry to begin clearing the city of slums and illegal waste dump sites.

He noted concern about the operations of scavengers at the Trans-Amadi industrial area were they currently occupy large hectares of private lands, using them for sorting and assembling solid waste.

He also condemned the act of proliferation of illegal dumpsites as well as shanties in business areas and advised occupants to vacate such properties which had already been marked for demolition.

Bipi called on property owners should refrain from leasing their properties to operators of unapproved and hazardous businesses or face the full weight of the law.

”Scavengers here are contributing to environmental hazards. Their operation is highly unacceptable; this administration will no longer continue to allow them to deface our residential and industrial areas,” he added.