By Fatuma Kamara
A major problem facing Greater Monrovia and its environs is the issue of the poor state of its solid waste program.
Deplorable solid waste management has become prevalent in various communities, something which has claimed the attention of even members of the international diplomatic community.
Liberia’s bi-lateral partners like the European Union, World Bank, and others, continue to spend millions of dollars to help eliminate the alarming solid waste problems in Greater Monrovia, but the situation continues to degenerate leading to unfavorable health problems, including air and water borne diseases, among residents.
The Seekee Community situated in the Deport Road, in the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia, is one of several communities grappling with solid waste challenges. The community hosts a little over 300 house-holds and falls within the jurisdiction of the Paynesville City Corporation [PPC]. With a population of approximately 2,500 residents, improper disposal of solid waste by the residents has left the community littered with stock piles of garbage in various nooks and corners of the community.
Several attempts to speak with the community chairman relative to strategies being employed by the community leadership proved futile, as he was not always available.
However, during one of the several visits at the house, his wife who offered to speak on the prevailing garbage situation said in time passed there were people who went from house to house to collect the garbage, but this is no more the case.
Madam Ellen Gail-Wehyee said the current situation has resulted to all sorts of bad waste disposal practices, something which is seriously affecting the entire community.
According to her, disadvantaged boys commonly known as Zogos who go around collecting dirt are only interested in the money.
“These boys will collect dirt from one yard and dump it in another yard when no one is around to see them,” she told this Reporter. She frowned on the bad garbage disposal practice which has left the entire community littered with dirt and hopes a proper system can be introduced and enforced.
Several other residents have spoken out against the garbage situation, with Madam Patricia David suggesting that those involved in improper waste disposal be arrested and thrown behind bars.
The middle-age woman, who is also pregnant, said the reckless dumping of garbage around the community is causing serious problem for everyone in the area. She mentioned the increase in mosquitoes and rats in their homes, which causes lots of sicknesses for the community residents. Patricia made a call to government to arrest violators and impose high fines as a way of discouraging the unhealthy solid waste disposal practices. ‘’Even those who give their dirt to Zogos to carry should be arrested and put in jail’’, she spoke in a rather frustrated tone.
For her part, 35 years old Natasha Tuloe said her immediate environment is not as bad as they do subscribe with the local community based enterprise (CBE) who comes around on weekends to do collection of garbage from various households.
Madam Tuloe, who is a local entrepreneur, has lived in the community for about five years. She said most of the garbage problem is caused by community dwellers themselves.
According to her, majority of the house-holds have refused to register with the local CBE]. “Many persons do not want to pay the fees charged by CBES and so they prefer to give their dirt to Zogos for small fees. These Zogos will throw the dirt just anywhere,’’ she also told this reporter.
She is encouraging everyone to engage in proper solid waste disposal in order to save the community.
Meanwhile, Jallah Kamara says he has a CBES business and has been collecting garbage for over ten years now. He said his operations cover several communities including Duport Road, ELWA, Rehab, and GSA Road communities.
According to him several house-holds are registered with his company, but there are a lot of challenges as most of the people have left his company because they don’t like to pay for their dirt. The CBE operator said, most of the house-holds currently owe huge debts.
“Because they want to avoid paying me, most of the houses are getting rid of their garbage in various ways like burning, burying or even giving dirt to wayward boys known as ‘Zogos’, ‘’ he explained. Publication of this report is part of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) fellowship program for Senior Students of the University of Liberia and the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism with support from Internews.