By Edwin M. Fayia, III, fayiaedwin@gmail.com
It is almost like the extensive clean-up campaign started by the City Corporation of Monrovia’s Paynesville suburb is not in effect, as the largest business hub in the Liberian capital greets visitors with huge stockpile of garbage, amid frantic efforts by health authorities to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
Spanning for almost three decades, Liberia largest food market of Red-Light in Paynesville has served as critical conduit to thousands of business people of all kinds from both rural and urban Liberia.
Yet, keeping this useful business area in a sanitary condition had over many years been a daunting task for the Municipal Government of Paynesville, despite the many sanitation strategies designed by urban city planners.
Two weeks ago, sanitation workers of the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) were seen during the early days of the first COVID-19 lockdown of Montserrado County carrying out clean-up exercise at the Red-Light Market area.
But the clean-up exercise, from all indications, have not made any genuine impact, as stockpile of garbage has indeed overwhelmed this business hub.
In a day-long tour of the over densely populated Red light market early this week, it has become unhygienic that the flooded areas of the business hub is playing host to thousands of air and water borne diseases, thus creating an excellent conduit for the deadly Corona Virus Disease (COVID19) rapidly spread in Montserrado County.
Now, the productive Red-Light Market site has become increasingly more unsanitary, with the environment polluted and the odor is very offensive, as one moves among the shops and merchandise stores.
It was observed that the four entry points have been engulfed with rotten garbage stockpile and at the same petty traders and vegetable dealers are on their usual spree selling in filth.
Human and vehicular traffic competing for space
It is also observed that vegetable traders are seen spreading the greens, bitter balls, pepper and cassava and eddoes just at the tip of the mountain of garbage that have not collected and disposed of for the past several weeks at the Red-Light Market.
In related development, market buildings constructed at the height of the civil war can no longer host the thousands of traders and buyers that come to the market daily. And the buildings are also in deplorable conditions, needing urgent repairs.
Several urban planners have over years advanced recommendations for the relocation of the Red-Light Market from its present site to a suitable location that would be able to host this overcrowded business hub in Paynesville. The Omega market complex is being built, but again the 64 thousand dollars question is: will they be able to keep it tidy and avoid it being littered with rubbish?
Regrettably, such vital recommendations by the urban planners have been treated with sugar-coated promises by past and present municipal governments and such documents also swept under the carpet or on the shelf in public offices.
Moreover, the various leaderships of the Liberia Marketing Association have over years continue to collect market dues geared towards keeping the market areas clean and sanitary.
Sadly, such important resources have only served to allegedly enrich the leaders of the LMA and several attempts have been made for leaders in charge of the marketing association. But some moves on the part of some national leaders have been extensively politicized.
However, in separate interviews with the traders and urban planners early last week, they expressed shock and outright indignation that the Municipal Government has not been able to keep the area clean and hygienic for the past several decades in Paynesville as well as the Liberian capital, Monrovia itself.
Former urban planner Darlington B. Flomoku, 68, of Pipeline Road in Paynesville told www.newspublictrust.com that keeping the markets clean will not be possible, unless the powers of the sanitary inspectors are restored and municipal regulations are enforced without fear and favour on all Liberians, irrespective of political and social affiliations.
A Liberian merchandise store proprietor Joseph Kollie Ballah, 48, of the Red-Light Market said until of the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) authorities work out a realistic plan to relocate the market, the market will remain a problem child for the Municipal Government of Paynesville.
On many occasions, traders and residents that reside within the Red-Light Market area are in the constant habit of setting the uncollected piles of garbage on fire, thus increasing air pollution and bad odors at their own detriments.
Besides, Red-Light Market sanitation facilities are so inadequate to the extent that traders and others cannot bear the high degree of stench. So, some of them use the garbage sites to urinate and defecate. It has become the norm and some do so without any remorse, although this is against public health and good sanitation practices.