By Matthew Kanu in Makeni
The Traders’ Union in Makeni has called on the City Council to live up to its responsibility of cleaning the environment for its people with or without support from the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP.
Alieu Conteh, Chairman of the Bombali District Traders’ Union was reacting to news of an initial US$ 80,000 the UN agency had given to the Makeni City Council for the initial phase of the construction of dump sites.
“We pay our dues to ensure that council fulfil its obligations. Otherwise, we will one day stop paying our dues,” says Conteh. He added that the intervention of UNDP would contribute to providing a clean environment that would be free from solid waste and its attendant health hazards.
He recommended that council put up a strong monitoring mechanism to ensure that the city was kept clean.
Peter Johnny, a resident of Makeni,wondered how the council could reach all areas when, with just one vehicle collecting waste in the municipality, their current capacity and capability were still not enough.
He said if council was serious about cleaning the city there should have been more vehicles and other transportation means to ensuregarbage was collected and dumped at identified sites across the township.
Secretary General of the Coalition of Civil Society for Peace and Development (CISOPAD),Alhaji Musa Conteh said one of the responsibilities of civil society would therefore include monitoring dump sites and ensuring the city was clean.
He said that before and even after the November elections there was a lot of rubbish around the city with people continuing to complain about the “inefficiency of the council’s waste management” handling.
“We want to see an inclusive civil society that is grassroots. Up to this moment CISOPAD does not know anything about the waste management consultations. Training on waste management should be inclusive,” he suggested.
The Chief Administrator at the MCC, AlhajiBangura, confessed that one of the major challenges of his council was the proper management of waste. He said government alone would not be able to effectively and efficiently support solid waste management.
Mr.Bangura said that some of their efforts to tackle the problem included soliciting funds from UNDP to hold workshopsfor trade unionists, community based organisations and local nongovernmental organisations with focus on environmental sanitation.
UNDP’snational programme officer, Abu Dingie confirmedtheir support to the council because “government is desirous to keep a clean and healthy environment in the country.
He said they had deployed a consultant, Martin Medina, to do a solid waste study and assess the private public partnership in the city.
© Politico 23/07/13
