PHOTO: A snap shot of the situation
By Kay S. Mantor
Worsening sanitary condition in the Police Academy Community in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville brings to focus growing concern about poor waste collection and disposal system in the country.
The condition in this densely populated community has claimed the attention of the community leadership, with strong measures being instituted by the local leadership in an effort to abort possible health hazard in the community.
This is posing challenge to the community leadership, as many residents continue to engage into improper solid waste management practices. There are no organized solid waste disposal system in place. Lots of people in the community have not owned up to sanitary responsibility, either because of their ignorance or sheer lack of responsibility.
Some residents say this condition has led to illnesses of people, especially children with the area infested by Malaria-carrying mosquitoes. There is a huge need for robust awareness on proper solid waste practices in the community.
It is often said Liberians are quick to forget, this writer doesn’t really know whether this assertion is supported by empirical evidence, but it seems to have some merit. People in the Police Academy Community have three ways to dispose of garbage, namely by burning dirt, paying wayward youths called “Zogos” to take away their garbage, and using children to take garbage to disposal site.
There are several health threats posed to the community, according to Mrs. Elizabeth Kennedy, a health practitioner in the community. She says it is very dangerous to burn or bury dirt in the community, because burning of dirt causes pollution that leads to serious health hazard.
Also, according to Madam Kennedy, burying of dirt or garbage can cause the pollution of the ground, thus affecting wells, hand pumps and other water sources in the community. She is also calling for robust community awareness on proper waste disposal practices as community dwellers continue to carry out improper solid waste disposal practices.
“Some people feel that telling them the importance of proper solid waste management is an insult to their personality. The way we manage solid waste will help stop mosquitos and other rodents that threaten our health in the community”, she said. She further advised house-holds members in the community to practice putting their solid waste either in bags or garbage bin to dirt it from spreading around the community,” says Madam Kennedy.
Emmanuel Blanco, a middle-aged community resident, who also spoke blames the unpleasant solid waste situation on the lack of proper system.
Most of the people in the community prefer to dump their solid wastes in unfinished buildings, he explains. Such places have become breeding grounds for rats, roaches and mosquitoes. Thus these creatures are all over the community, causing serious health hazard.
Mr. Blanco is calling on the Liberian government, through the city corporation, to have vehicles to collect solid waste and these vehicles should be consistent at least two days a week,
As for Samuel Wheyee, Community Chairman of the Police Academy Community, he says the leadership of the community recently met with the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) to discuss the alarming solid waste problems in the community, and to decide on best ways forward for solid waste management in the community.
However, from the standpoint of the community leadership, the chairman said, they have concluded that anyone caught burning or burying dirt, or giving dirt to Zogos will be fined $20USD or its equivalents in Liberian dollars.
“We are making sure that everyone packages their dirt and wait for the community-based enterprise (CBEs) to collect and carry the garbage every Saturday to the appropriate disposal site”. He further said “that the best way to have a healthy lifestyle is to be well and safe”, stressing, “It is unfortunate to see some people who are not interested in some of these decisions that will keep our community safe and clean but we are working to resolve all the misunderstanding amongst our people,” Mr. Wheyee adds.
Investigation conducted by this Reporter reveals that almost every quarter within the Police Academy Community suffers from improper sanitation the issues. Such poor sanitary condition is not only affecting households, but also schools, churches and market places.
Some have suggested that the best way forward is not to give garbage to children nor Zogos to dispose of it, but rather work with the rightful people (CBEs) who will carry same to the proper site where the city corporation can collect them to dispose it them properly.
The Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) knows the right places to dispose of garbage. Sanitation and solid waste management is a collective effort, and everyone needs to join and properly manage solid waste in the Police Academy Community, in order to promote a healthy and safe environment.
Police Academy Community is located in Paynesville City, in urban Montserrado County in Liberia. The community is blessed to have the National Police Training Academy. 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.