ABSTRACT
This study examines the household solid waste management practices and the role of agencies responsible for its management in Gombe. The research gathered data from two main sources: primary and secondary sources. The secondary data were obtained from the library and internet sources while the primary data were obtained from the household heads, field surveys and oral interviews of employees of relevant waste management agencies such as: Gombe State Environmental Protection Agency (GOSEPA), Gombe Local Government, Formal Private Contractor (Inex Cleaners Limited), Informal Private Operators, operating in high and medium income neighborhoods, CBOs and waste collectors. In all, two hundred (200) copies of structured questionnaires were distributed randomly among selected household heads on the basis of density that is Low, Medium and High. The study revealed that the socio-economic characteristics of the households in the study area have influence on waste generation, collection and disposal interms of their educational levels, monthly income, households' family size etc. At the high and medium income neighborhoods such as G.R.A and Federal Lowcost the rate of waste generation is higher compared to the low income neighborhoods such as Ajiya and Kagarawal. This is as a result of the high income levels of the residents of the high and medium income neighborhoods in purchasing more items than the residents of the low income neighborhoods. The study also revealed that majority of the residents in Gombe dumps their wastes in open spaces, drainages and vacant plots. About 32% of the residents do not have their wastes collected at all most especially in the low income neighborhoods such as Kagarawal. The results also indicate that waste separation does not take place at both households' level and official dumpsites. Most of the wastes generated are food, paper, textile materials, plastic materials, polythene bags, bottle and tin cans. The results indicated that the agencies in charge of solid waste management in Gombe were not efficient. This could be closely linked with the lack of equipments, trained manpower, and poor funding of these agencies and also the negative attitude of the households towards solid waste management. Based on these findings, the study recommended strategy options for efficient and effective management of solid waste in Gombe. These include community participation, payment for waste management, public-private partnership, adequate resourcing of waste management agencies, monitoring and supervisor, use of integrated solid waste management model, use of appropriate technology etc.