MONROVIA, Montserrado – Several residents of Gaye Town in Monrovia’s Old Road community have complained about pollution caused by stockpiles of waste.

In front of what is known as Mandingo Cemetery, trash bins provided by the Monrovia City Corporation do not get picked up on time by sanitation companies, leading concerns to residents  about the hygienic and health implications.

During a visit to the location, the surrounding communities of the cemetery were observed to have a pungent and unpleasant smell.

The only trash collection bin placed at the dumping site was overflowing with waste, leading residents to throw their garbage on the nearby street.

At the end of the waste-littered-road was a fire burning with trash. Passerbys rushed through the area with their hands covering their noses.

Additionally, hordes of flies sat on what appeared to be human feces, barely contained in plastic bags.

Stockpile of waste in front of the Mandingo Cemetery. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Felecia Kangar, a resident of Gaye Town and mother of two children, appeared visibly angry as she described her fear that the stockpile of waste could cause harm to the health and safety of residents in her community.

“The location of the waste is not safe for our children,” Kangar said, troubled about the possibility of a disease outbreak in her community. “Government should not sit and wait to see our children fall ill and die before taking any action.”

Further, she explained that the waste piles have “made it very difficult for vehicles and motorcyclists to ply the cemetery route.”

Garbage piles near the Mandingo Cemetery with visible fires. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Residents like Augustine J. Sneh complain that the environmental disaster is putting him out of business. He said since the site was designated for dumping during the administration of Monrovia’s former Mayor Mary Broh, tenants have left his house because of the garbage.

“This situation gets worse during the rainy season, with all of the dirty water from the wastes running through my yard,” he said.

Augustine J. Sneh, a resident of Gaye Town. Photo: Zeze Ballah

According to Sneh, residents of Gaye Town are planning a lawsuit against LIBRA Sanitation, the company that is charged with the responsibility to collect the waste from the community.

Lassanah Siryon, another businessman who works a few meters away from the cemetery, noted that the waste pollution was forcing him out of business, pointing out that “potential customers no longer used the route of the cemetery.”

Lassanah Siryon, a businessman in Gaye Town. Photo: Zeze Ballah

For his part, Mohammed Jalloh, the caretaker of the Mandingo cemetery said that the stockpile of waste poses significant challenges for him as it’s thrown right in front of the cemetery.

Mohammed Jalloh, caretaker of the Mandingo Cemetery. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Attempts to reach LIBRA Sanitation for a comment proved futile. On several visits to the office, representatives said the company’s manager George Howe was out of office.

Jacob Walker, the Monrovia City Corporation’s Press and Public Affairs Officer, said fires set on the stockpile of wastes by unknown individuals has made it difficult for partnering companies like LIBRA Sanitation to collect the waste.

“The MCC has taken full control of the waste situation in the Gaye Town community,” Walker maintained.

Jacob Walker, Monrovia City Corporation’s Press and Public Affairs Officer. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Further, he noted that the city faced several challenges in collecting waste from communities, adding that “one of such challenges has to do with the level of discipline some community dwellers exhibit during the disposal of wastes.”

“Liberians needs to change their minds and attitudes,” he said.

According to Walker, the community dwellers were informed by the city to avoid setting the waste piles on fire. However, some residents intentionally continued to do so.

Walker, however, failed to give a timeline for when LIBRA Sanitation would collect the waste from the location in question.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah