By Bill W. Cooper
As the Government of Liberia 100-day deliverables scored high on sanitation significantly, many are beginning to question the effectiveness of the “ARREST” Agenda’s fulfillment in sustaining that tidiness of the country it boasted about.
Just six months into this administration, the streets of Monrovia and other parts of the country lay in trash and filth with a stockpile of garbage in certain parts of Monrovia, Paynesville and Kakata cities, among other major cities.
While citizens are unable to dispose their wastes couple with the lack of punitive actions on the part of government against those very citizens who deliberately spill trash or their garbage in the streets, yet, yet, citizens are blaming the government for not ensuring a clean and healthy environment as the promised.
In 2023, one of the key promises made by the President Joseph Boakai, then standard bearer of the Unity Party (UP) campaign was to prioritize sanitation and waste management enshrined in the Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation and Tourism (ARREST) Agenda in Liberia.
Though an aged-old problem, this administration also seems to have no answers to waste disposal systems as the country lacks of proper sanitation facilities and no law to curb reckless handling of wastes and dirt.
A blame-game is that the overflowing of garbage bins littering in the streets as well as the unsanitary conditions in various parts of Liberia are as a result of the inappropriate handling of dirt by the same residents who are expressing frustration over the lack of action taken by the government to address these issues.
However, the administration through the Monrovia City Cooperation (MCC) and Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) had announced some reinforcement measures ensuring a clean and green Monrovia.
It includes the reinforcement of the first Saturday clean-up campaign, the placing of mini garbage buckets, the restoring of water to Monrovia and the regular cleaning of the feces from the city among others but these efforts are like a drop in the bucket in addressing the issues.
One of the areas that has been particularly affected by poor sanitation is Monrovia and despite efforts to improve waste management in the city, including the introduction of waste collection services and public awareness, many parts of Monrovia continue to be plagued by garbage and filth.
In addition to the environmental impact of poor sanitation, there are also serious health concerns associated with the issue as inadequate waste management could lead to the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery, putting the health and well-being of the population at risk.
Meanwhile, despite these challenges, there are some signs of progress in the fight against poor sanitation in Liberia. Non-governmental organizations and community groups have been working tirelessly to clean up their neighborhoods and raise awareness about the importance of proper waste disposal.
