The Paynesville City Cooperation (PCC) has refuted media reports that the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) has been providing US$2,000 to remove dirt from the Gobachop Market for the past six months.
Recently, it has been reported that the LMA remits to the PCC US$2,000 for the collection of garbage from the Gobachop Market, located in one of the most densely populated areas of Red-Light.
It was brought to the attention of the media that the PCC has allegedly refused to remove the dirt for which the money is being collected, something which has led the marketers and community dwellers to engage in a planned protest.
But in reaction, the PCC’s Public Relations Officer, Jeremiah Diggen and Comptroller, Mally Ndorbor clarified that at no point in time did the Corporation ever receive said amount from the LMA or anybody to remove garbage from the Gobachop Market and has failed to remove it.
Speaking with journalists at their PCC offices in Paynesville, Diggen, among other things, admitted that although the PCC did receive some money from the LMA to help with the clearing of garbage, the work was fully done as per the funds provided, stressing that the clearing of garbage is cost intensive.
According to him, since the ascendency of Mayor Pam-Belcher Taylor and her team, they have on numerous occasions cleared the Gobachop Market with or without receiving funding in spite of the limited equipment at its disposal.
He indicated that the LMA promised to help the PCC underwrite some of the cost following series of engagements with them with the understanding that it will require funds to do the clearing of the market.
“So it is disheartening to see Liberians and others trying to blame the PCC for not collecting garbage from the market when in fact, the Corporation is not responsible to collect money for the collection or removal of garbage rather it is the responsibility of the LMA,” Diggen explained.
He narrated that on February 3, 2021, the LMA made the first payment of US$1,341 to PCC and for two days, five trucks and a front-loader were used to collect 77 loads of garbage and that to date, the LMA still has an outstanding amount of US$74.
PCC’s Comptroller Ndorbor disclosed that following series of engagements with the LMA, an agreement was reached by both parties to develop a seven-day work plan which summed up to US$5,478.90.
According to him, in that work plan, they informed the LMA that an initial deposit of US$1,415.40 was being made to begin the two days operation but instead the first payment provided was US$1,341.000.
He added that another payment of US$600 was made on February 23, 2021 while US$178 was made available for the third day of work, adding that since February 26, there has been no payment made by the Gobachop superintendent or the LMA to the PCC.
Mr. Ndorbor further disclosed that since they took over in 2018 to present, the total money that the PCC has received from the LMA US$2,122 and LD392, 810 totaling USD4, 432.64 for the three years in office.
“We have also resolved that the PCC will no longer receive any cash from the LMA- Gobachop leadership but will procure their own fuel and the PCC will serve as the supervisor,” Ndorbor expressed.
However, on Monday, several Liberians including marketers from various market places decried the ‘filthiness’ of Paynesville City and its environs, something which they said poses serious health threat to them.
Our reporter who toured several parts of the city over the weekend, observed the stockpiled garbage in the Red-Light Market, the ELWA Junction Market, Duport Road Junction and Paynesville Joe Bar, among others.
According to our reporter, several vehicles and pedestrians are unable to move freely as a result of the mountainous dirt across the city, adding that the odor oozing from the dirt is one thing that has now caught the attention of the marketers and other citizens.
Some of the angry citizens and marketers spoken to, blamed the LMA and the PCC for not doing much to keep the various market places and the entire city clean and safe for its citizens.
According to them, the unattended garbage across the Paynesville City is indeed posing a serious health hazard and undermining their normal business activities as consumers are also refusing to purchase their produce due to the pungent odor inhaled from the ‘man-made mountainous garbage’ in their vicinities.
The aggrieved marketers and pedestrians also frowned on the LMA and PCC for collecting ‘daily fees’ and allegedly refusing to remove the dirt for the past six months.
They further maintained that it is unfortunate and disheartening for the LMA and the PCC to always collect money from marketers and at the same time show no interest in improving the sanitation of the various market places and other parts of the city.
The distressed marketers and pedestrians pointed out that the delay in collecting garbage from various market places can also be blamed squarely on the lack of coordination from both the LMA and the PCC, adding, “And if both parties cannot understand each other, we will continue to be confronted with this malice.”
“What is more frustrating is the conflicting statements emanating from both the PCC and LMA. At one point, the LMA alleged that they gave over US$2,000 to the PCC to collect the dirt three months ago, but the PCC too denied the claims, saying that they are yet to receive money from the LMA,” they noted.
Meanwhile, the aggrieved marketers and other well-meaning Liberians are also planning an unspecified action if the LMA and the PCC refuse to collect and dispose of all the dirt from various market places across Paynesville and its environs.
When contacted, the PCC Public Relation Officer, Jeremiah Diggen who could neither deny nor confirm the US$2,000 allegation stressed that his institution is doing everything possible in removing the dirt while at the same time requested for proper document from the LMA before he can respond to the financial allegation.
Investigation continues.