PHOTO: Heaps of garbage with accompanied stench tell the story of the prevailing poor solid waste management problem
By Stephen J. Konton, Sr.
An investigation of the poor sanitary condition of Christopolis community by this Reporter reveals that inhabitants here continue to suffer the effects of poor garbage collection and disposal, underpinning the fundamental flaws in Liberia’s solid waste management system.
On a visit to this fast-growing community, this reality becomes very visible.
In an interview with the community’s chairman, Peterson Faryen, he asserted that his community with over 7,000 inhabitants is being seriously challenged by waste management issues, due to what he claims is government’s failure.
According to Mr. Faryen, he set up a Community Based Enterprise (CBE), which comprises young men who are charged with the responsibility to dispose solid waste at designated sites.
Despite the measures put in place, Mr. Faryen lamented that getting the garbage from those designated sites by the Brewerville City Corporation (BCC) has continued to remain a daunting for him and his fellow residents of the area.
He had made numerous calls to national government through the Brewerviile City Corporation (BCC) yet, he says they are yet to do anything to help resolve the situation.
After several attempts in getting BCC’s side on allegation made by the Chairman, everything seemed fruitless, as the institution’s boss did not answer calls nor respond to text messages sent to him.
But days later, a staffer at the BCC agreed to speak to the community’s solid waste issue.
Prince Doe said the Brewerville City Corporation was doing everything possible to control the solid waste issue in the community.
He claimed they are trying to set up a community designated site for the disposal of garbage in this fast-growing northwestern suburb of the Liberian capital.
But Mr. Doe has called on national government through the Monrovia City Cooperation (MCC) to help Brewerville in the process.
The BCC is the public institution responsible to supervise solid waste issues in Brewerville.
Ordinary residents too have their share of the responsibility in handling the solid waste issue.
Sarah Walker, a resident of Block “D” in the Christopolis Community agrees that some residents have to share some of the blame for the poor sanitary situation in the area.
She emphasized the seriousness of the problem relating to the waste issue.
Mrs. Walker revealed that areas that were designated by their Community chairman are being bought by other people for construction purpose, a situation is effecting proper waste disposal on a daily basis.
At the same time, scores of marketers in the Christopolis community have also expressed disappointment over the poor sanitary condition of their market places.
In an interview, one of the market women, Madam Marie Tamba decried the current condition in the community saying the garbage is gradually taking over their selling spots.
She explained that they most often pay garbage collectors, but those same garbage collectors at times bring the garbage back to their selling places overnight. She further revealed that the situation is unbearable, as it is causing malaria and other sicknesses for them and their children.
This aggrieved marketer is calling on the national government to come to help address the developing sanitation crisis plaguing this area.
Christopolis is a community situated in Montserrado County electoral district 17. 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.