By Allen P. Lablah in Saniquellie, Liberia lallenpaye@yahoo.com
A Muslim cleric in Nimba County’s capital, Sanniquellie is rallying the people of this provincial city to get actively involved in helping to maintain a clean and healthy environment.
Iman Alieu Barry told a two-hour interactive dialogue forum that sanitation promotion is key to a clean and Healthy Environment
The forum, which was held recently at the Emergency Operation Center Conference Hall at the Nimba County Health Team Compound, is intended to improve the sanitary condition in Sanniquellie.
Sanitation promotion by community dwellers has become a major challenge in this area, thus posing a health threat to community inhabitants.
Iman Barry observed with grave concern that community dwellers in Sanniquellie, most especially tea shop operators, street food sellers and Bakery owners were not properly observing sanitation regulations.
Nimba County flag
The Muslim cleric, who is also a health practitioner at the George Way Harley Hospital in Sanniquellie, further indicated that communicable diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, Tuberculosis (TB), etc are spreading rapidly and affecting local residents.
He maintained that these petit sellers Sanitary conditions and environment are unhealthy yet they continuous to serve the public and pollute the health status of the people.
The Iman of the Sanniquellie Mosqu stressed the urgent need to arrest the poor sanitary problems in the city.
Iman Barry asserted that lack of awareness on Sanitation, mainly the Ministry of Commerce Mandate regarding trade regulations as some of the contributing factors undermining Sanitation and Environmental Health promotion across the country.
Also addressing the sanitation dialogue forum was the Special Assistant to the office of the Sanniquellie City Mayor, Mr. James F. Baker who said the initiative undertaken by Iman Barry was worth commending.
As such the city office will fully support the sanitation initiative undertaken by Iman Barry on grounds that it is parallel to the work of the city cooperation.
The two-hour interactive dialogue forum on promoting Sanitation brought together representatives of Civil Society Organizations, International Rescue Committee or IRC PACS program, Ministry of Commerce, Muslim community, tea shop operators, business entity amongst others.