Monrovia – Vendors, commuters and pedestrians using the intersection of Broad and Mechlin Streets have intensified complaints about the delinquency of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) to clean liquid waste pouring out of a major sewage system under the streets.
What appears to be a septic tank on Mechlin Street, a couple of meters away from the Malag Clinic, can be seen sending out feces. This is causing the stench to fill the air, thereby causing pollution for passersby and vendors.
According to some vendors and pedestrians, who spoke to FrontPage Africa Thursday, February 27, the burst septic tank has been causing air pollution in the area for the past two weeks.
The sewage, according to them, has overflowed as a result of a damaged drainage system.
Emmanuel Ericson sells scratch cards and operates a forex bureau at the intersection of Board and Mechlin Street. He has to painstakingly endure the stench coming from the sewage every day.
“The place has become ‘hold your nose and pass’. When rain falls you can feel sorry for Mechlin Street, Board Street, and even Randall Street; the pollution cannot be easy. These are the principal streets of Monrovia and the respective authority is not paying attention to curtail the pollution.”
– Emmanuel Ericson, Vendor on Broad and Mechlin Streets
According to him, a group of vedors have met the authority of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation to request that they intervene and curtail the pollution. But that was to no avail.
“Normally, these feces always sit on this particular street but lately, it has increased and since last week till now the Liberia Water and Sewer has not come to address this situation,” Ericson said.
“We went to LWSC office twice this week, and they gave us the assurance that they will come and clean this place but as you can see the place has gone very bad that we barely able to do our business normally.
“I do not know why people are not paying attention to their jobs. I do not know whether they want President George Weah to come down from his office and clean this street.”
Ericson says normal business is not going on because of the heavy pollution that is apparently casing buyers to avoid the area.
He added: “The place has become ‘hold your nose and pass’. When rain falls you can feel sorry for Mechlin Street, Board Street, and even Randall Street; the pollution cannot be easy. These are the principal streets of Monrovia and the respective authority is not paying attention to curtail the pollution.”
James Flomo, a shop owner on the street, complained that the business transaction is slow because of the heavy pollution.
“Anybody that comes, the pollution cannot give them the chance to stand. This is serious, we are calling on the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation to come and recuse us,” Flomo said.
The management of the LWSC did not respond to an inquiry by FrontPage Africa.