Paynesville – At long last, marketers and residents at the Gobachop Market will begin breathing fresh air, following the City Government of Paynesville’s intervention to clear a stockpile of garbage that has lasted in that area for months.
The garbage has served as a blockage to the main entrance of the market, while at the same time creating oozing odor for community dwellers, buyers, and the marketers themselves.
Similarly, some community residents have complained that their kids usually suffered from Diarrheal and Typhoid which they believed, may have been caused by the garbage in the area.
So alarming was the situation that it caught the attention of President George Weah as he paid an unannounced visit to the market. Though the President did not get out of the vehicle as the presidential motorcade only drove around the pile of dirt, residents and marketers are optimistic that his visit will make an impact.
“I know the president will speak to us through a representative. He cannot get down here because this is not safe for him. But his presence means a lot and it shows that he is concerned,” James Zuba, resident of Gobachop Community.
“Thank God that the President came here to see for himself. We hope this pile of dirt will completely be removed from here,” said Tarweh Gotomo, a resident.
Prior to the President’s tour, the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) began removing the garbage. Marketers say they are paying fees to the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) to run the affairs of the association including the cleaning; but the garbage problem remains unresolved.
Martha Duolee, a Plantain Seller said the presence of the garbage makes it impossible for her and other colleagues to sit freely.
“We have to look for daily bread for our children, so we just have to force it to sit on the market. I have gotten sick from running stomach (Diarrhea) because of this place because we eat here and files from the dumpsite can hardly be controlled, while we are eating,” Madam Duolee said.
The head of the LMA, Gobachop Branch, MaCline B. Jallah, in a recent meeting with the PCC said Gobachop is paying a minimum fee to the PCC for the garbage collection, which Mayor Pan Belcher Taylor consented to.
However, Madam Taylor complained that the PCC remains challenged with finance and logistics to collect garbage on time, as expected by those who are aggrieved by the delay.
The PCC has been heavily blamed for its delay in removing the dirt. Recently, the Chairman of the Intellectual Class of Paynesville, Forkpayea Mulbah blasted Mayor Taylor for the delay in collecting garbage from Gobachop and other areas in Paynesville.
Mulbah said the presence of the garbage is not only creating environmental pollution but posing a hazard for residents of the community and its surroundings.
“The filthy nature of Paynesville is the result of the ineptitude of Mayor Taylor to knowingly refuse to keep the city clean,” Mr. Mulbah said.
However, Paynesville City Communication Head, Jeremiah Diggen told FrontPage Africa during a garbage collection exercise Sunday, that the city is now in ‘high gear’ to ensure that no garbage will remain on the streets for a longer period.
He said the Paynesville City Government has been embarrassed by series of questions on the mountainous stockpile of garbage in Paynesville, specifically Gobachop.
“The removal of this huge stockpile of garbage shows that we have succeeded. With the huge population in Paynesville, it tells you that there is a serious garbage collection task that the corporation has to address,” Diggen boasted.
Speaking further, Diggen said the PCC is strategizing means to ensure that the garbage is not loosely disposed at areas that are not designated as withholding sites.
“We are working with the Marketing Association to ensure that security is provided to avoid people putting throwing garbage loosely,” Digger said.
He said the city corporation has only town end loaders which pose a constraint to them and is lobbying with partners to ensure that garbage is collected.
Diggen however lauded the Ministry of Public Works and the Monrovia City Corporation for coming to their aid.
At the same time, Diggen has disclosed that the Paynesville City Corporation is about to tax residents and marketers a garbage collection fees, which will be enforced.
“There are two challenges we are faced with at the corporation, one is the mindset of our people in terms of proper waste management and there will be garbage collection fees, effectively this July.”