WASTE MANAGEMENT LAMENT OVER FILTH IN FREETOWN
The piles and piles of filth that has overtaken the Freetown municipality have not only left city dwellers fuming at the Freetown City Council but also the Freetown Waste Management.
The situation has left residents of Freetown to wonder where the responsible authorities are taking them.
Some say that at the country’s independence celebration there was a sigh of relief as there was continuous cleaning and city dwellers breathed in fresh air and even the mosquitoes were quiet. “This situation is a serious embarrassment to us as a nation of 50 years of independence. We should have grown more than this,” said Ramatu Conteh a resident of Tengbeh Town.
Some residents especially those living close to the refuse disposal sites around the city say they hardly breathe fresh air and the stench embarrasses them. “I hardly open my window because of the odour coming from the refuse dump and the ever present mosquitoes. I most times prefer to stay in the heat in the house than to be bitten by mosquitoes” says John Davies of Lewis Street in Freetown.
The embarrassment of the filth in the city is being felt by everyone including President Koroma who on Monday 10th October, 2011 on his way to launch the fibre optic cable. The President was hoping to breath fresh air but to his utter disgust was welcomed by the stench from the filth at Spur Road and Lumley Beach respectively.
When SALONE TIMES visited the Freetown Waste Management Company, General Manager (GM), it discovered that most of the vehicles that should have been used to clean the city were being abandoned as scraps.
The GM Sulaiman Peter said their work is very tedious. “Our budget has been decreased to 60% when we are expecting it to be increased” he said.
Mr. Peter went on to say that garbage is a very serious issue in the city. He explained that workers were almost on strike for increment of salaries. “First and foremost funds are the problem we face that is why you see huge garbage in the streets”, he said.
He added that they are trying to catch up with the situation may be by the end of the week.”
When asked why the vehicles are now scraps, his response was “The vehicles are well taken care of but there parts are specialized parts. The spare parts are not the one you can just buy at Goderich Street from dealers, spare parts are bought by special order.”
The General Manager further stated that they are working under a very strenuous situation and it is difficult for the operation of the present Waste Management. “Our operation is no longer suitable due to the increase in population as a result of urbanization which leads to the increase in garbage,” he said.
On the issue of staff condition, Mr. Peter said they are providing facilities to the staff for them to be in a healthy manner but he pointed out that some staff members are selling their kits. “Some say they are not used to gloves as it goes in there way while they work. Quite a good number of our gloves are now used by the gara tie and dye people ,” he said.
If at all the words of the General Manager will be actualized this weekend, then Freetown will breathe fresh air again.
The situation has left residents of Freetown to wonder where the responsible authorities are taking them.
Some say that at the country’s independence celebration there was a sigh of relief as there was continuous cleaning and city dwellers breathed in fresh air and even the mosquitoes were quiet. “This situation is a serious embarrassment to us as a nation of 50 years of independence. We should have grown more than this,” said Ramatu Conteh a resident of Tengbeh Town.
Some residents especially those living close to the refuse disposal sites around the city say they hardly breathe fresh air and the stench embarrasses them. “I hardly open my window because of the odour coming from the refuse dump and the ever present mosquitoes. I most times prefer to stay in the heat in the house than to be bitten by mosquitoes” says John Davies of Lewis Street in Freetown.
The embarrassment of the filth in the city is being felt by everyone including President Koroma who on Monday 10th October, 2011 on his way to launch the fibre optic cable. The President was hoping to breath fresh air but to his utter disgust was welcomed by the stench from the filth at Spur Road and Lumley Beach respectively.
When SALONE TIMES visited the Freetown Waste Management Company, General Manager (GM), it discovered that most of the vehicles that should have been used to clean the city were being abandoned as scraps.
The GM Sulaiman Peter said their work is very tedious. “Our budget has been decreased to 60% when we are expecting it to be increased” he said.
Mr. Peter went on to say that garbage is a very serious issue in the city. He explained that workers were almost on strike for increment of salaries. “First and foremost funds are the problem we face that is why you see huge garbage in the streets”, he said.
He added that they are trying to catch up with the situation may be by the end of the week.”
When asked why the vehicles are now scraps, his response was “The vehicles are well taken care of but there parts are specialized parts. The spare parts are not the one you can just buy at Goderich Street from dealers, spare parts are bought by special order.”
The General Manager further stated that they are working under a very strenuous situation and it is difficult for the operation of the present Waste Management. “Our operation is no longer suitable due to the increase in population as a result of urbanization which leads to the increase in garbage,” he said.
On the issue of staff condition, Mr. Peter said they are providing facilities to the staff for them to be in a healthy manner but he pointed out that some staff members are selling their kits. “Some say they are not used to gloves as it goes in there way while they work. Quite a good number of our gloves are now used by the gara tie and dye people ,” he said.
If at all the words of the General Manager will be actualized this weekend, then Freetown will breathe fresh air again.
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