In Igboliki Street, Akure, many residents say they do not need anyone to tell them when the ponmo factory is working. The smell tells them first.

For years, the odour from the cow-skin processing site and a nearby illegal dumpsite has made life uncomfortable for people living around the area.

Some say they have learnt to keep their windows shut. Others say they avoid staying outside for too long, especially when the air becomes thick with the stench.

But beyond the discomfort, residents are worried about something more serious: food is being processed in an environment they believe is not clean enough for human consumption.

The ponmo facility has reportedly operated on the street for more than 21 years. During a recent environmental sanitation inspection, officials from Akure South Local Government visited the area and found conditions they described as dirty and unfit for processing food.

The team, led by the council chairman, Gbenga Fasua, had gone round Oke Aro, Iro and Igboliki streets to check how residents and businesses were complying with sanitation rules.

At the ponmo site, the authorities were shocked to find human feaces in buckets exactly where the ponmo production was taking place.

The operator, who identified herself as the President of the Ponmo Sellers Association in Ondo State, was present during the visit.

A dumpsite making things worse

The problem does not end with the factory. An illegal dumpsite on the same street has also become a source of concern.

Authorities said the site had become a gathering point for some young people allegedly involved in drug use and other unlawful activities. For residents, the dumpsite is not just an eyesore; it is another sign that their neighbourhood is being left to deal with problems that should have been addressed long ago.

Residents want clean air and safe food

Many residents who spoke off camera said they had endured the smell for too long. Some declined to comment, saying they did not want trouble.

Fasua said anyone caught producing food in dirty conditions would face prosecution. He also promised that the council would continue working to keep the environment clean and protect public health.

For the people of Igboliki Street, the demand is simple, they want fresh air, safe food and a neighbourhood they can live in without holding their noses.