Paynesville – Residents of Pipeline Bypass Community, in Paynesville City, are experiencing a severe environmental problem.
Report by Augustine T. Tweh – [email protected]
This is as a result of sewage flowing from an underground pipe allegedly attached directly to the septic tank of Africa No.1 Enterprise Incorporated.
The Africa No.1 Enterprise Incorporated is a cold storage facility, which is involved in the sale of frozen chicken, meat and other food stuffs and ice blocks.
According to residents and marketers, the wastes coming from the septic tank and flowing directly into the community is causing contamination of safe drinking water and even causing skin diseases.
In an interview with FrontPage Africa (FPA), a resident of the community, Morris S. Parker, said the flow from the open pipe comes along with feces and other harmful substances that are causing the outbreak of skin diseases and also the contamination of their drinking waters.
“This dirty water started flowing in this community since they build this ice factory (Africa No.1 Enterprise Inc. as it is commonly known by them) here,” he said.
Parker said prior to the construction of the cold storage, residents of the community had never experienced such pollution, accusing Africa No.1 Enterprise Inc. directly for the polution of the community.
“Since I moved in this community in 1979, we never experienced this kind of pollution until when this cold storage was built. If you go there now, you will see dirty water coming from underground pipe attached to their septic tank, and this dirty water is damaging our safe drinking water and the whole community, but when we approached them, they told us that they didn’t know about it,” he added.
Patricia Bah, a businesswoman, who sells frozen meat, told FPA that the waste flowing in the community comes directly from the open pipe attached to the septic tank of the ice factory.
“This dirty water is coming from the toilet in the ice factory that workers in the factory can use, and this water coming from this pipe can come with toilet, so it is really embarrassing we and our customers,” Madam Bah said.
Esther B. Tow, another businesswoman also confirmed that the sewage flows directly from the pipe connected to the septic tank of the cold storage.
“I believe this water is coming from a cold storage in front of us that is owed by a Lebanese man, who deals in frozen food. We conducted an investigation and realized that the water is coming from the cold storage (Africa No.1 enterprise Inc.) septic tank through an open pipe that stretches in the area,” she disclosed.
Madam Tow said the sewage water is a serious environmental pollution being experienced by residents of the area and it needs the attention of national government.
When contacted, the Management of the Africa No.1 Enterprise Incorporated through its block manager, who refused to properly identify himself admitted to FPA that the sewage pipe was left open for the Diamond Food Cold Storage to connect to it.
But when contacted, the Block Manager of the Diamond Food Cold Storage, George T. Dixon told FPA that he has no idea on the claims made by the Africa No.1 Enterprise Incorporated.
“We are not the fault of this water because right now we are still constructing, so Diamond Food is not responsible for that,” he said.