By Alfred Kollie alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee is trying to grapple with the huge challenge of containing the proliferation of garbage across the Liberian capital.
Mayor Koijee is also forging collaboration with the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville, where he has made available many trucks to remove huge stockpile of garbage from the Gobachop market in the Paynesville commercial district of Redlight.
Red-light is known to be the largest commercial center in Montserrado County, where the Liberian capital is situated.
Health and other social workers have warned of the threat posed to the health of marketers and residents as a results of huge piles of uncollected garbage, which has caused serious pollution.
Mayor Koijee recently assured marketers that the huge pile of dirt at the market will be removed.
Marketers and community residents have over the years been subjected to unhygienic environment due to the garbage situation at the Red-light and nearby communities.
The marketers on numerous occasions called on past governments to intervene by clearing the huge garbage, but to no avail.
The President of the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) appealed to Mayor Koijee to help rescue them from the health hazard the marketers and community residents face.
According to LMA President Alice Yeebahn, the garbage has gone beyond their control due to continuous dumping of waste, prompting the need for urgent intervention.
“Community members and marketers continue to dump in the area which has made it very difficult for us to remove the dirt,’’ Madam Yeebahn notd.
Mayor Koijee said there was the need to address the plight of market women who have to endure this serious problem of pollution from prolonged uncollected garbage.
‘’The removal process will last for the next three days to ensure that the dirt is removed from the Market’’ the Monrovia City Mayor explained to hundreds of Marketers in Paynesville.
Mayor Koijee however urged marketers to organize a team that will help prevent further disposal of waste at various sites in Red-Light.
“You cannot say you looking for money at your own disadvantage or your detriment. You cannot look for money whole day and carry sickness at the end of the day. We will fight with you and we can assure you beginning tonight,” the youthful Monrovia City Mayor said.
Mayor KoijeeHe has appealed to all residents of the capital and its environs to help keep their markets and communities clean.
According to him, he and the Paynesville City Mayor will create a network to ensure a healthy environment for all citizens and residents.