By: Alimatou S Bajinka
Residents of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) together with the waste management janitors of KMC have expressed fears and disappointment over the recent faltering nature of the widely hailed waste management initiative of the municipality.
Residents of Tallinding Kunjang have said that the waste collection trucks are no longer punctual and that they do not show up for several weeks at a stretch.
Babucarr Mansally, Councillor of Tallinding North, explained that the age of the trucks is one of the main reasons the KMC waste collection efforts are no longer as it was. He also said the trucks have run for over two years and are now old and experiencing frequent breakdowns.
“The unpunctuality of the waste collectors is because the trucks have served for more than two years and that they are getting old, so they face a lot of breakdowns and during that period they cannot function as they should”.
He also noted that the poor working attitude of the janitors is another problem hindering the progress of the waste management initiative.
“Most of the time, the janitors are also a major problem. They were so active and punctual at the beginning of the initiative, but now only a few would show up. They always come up with excuses for not coming to work, yet they are all being paid at the end of every month. Waste collection requires a lot of hands and cannot be done successfully by the few that turn up for work”.
Meanwhile, a janitor who asked for anonymity said the poor treatment of janitors and other waste management workers by the KMC was the reason for the demotivation.
“We are not being treated as we should be treated. We are being paid a poor salary that should not be given to anyone, especially to us considering the kind of work we do. Collecting waste exposes us to various health risks and we do it every single day in order to keep Municipality clean. However, the attitude of our leaders is not good towards us and that is why most of us have become reluctant.”
The KMC’s waste management initiative is one of the hallmarks of Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda’s administration, which ensured that almost every ward was provided with a truck to collect waste from homes every week and reduce littering. The initiative was well received and commended by residents.
Mariama Leigh, a resident of Tallinding North commended the initiative, saying it brought The Gambia closer to the clean country the citizens dreamt of.
The KMC waste collection is also more affordable for residents who pay D10 per bag, compared to about D50 being charged by private waste collectors.
“The KMC weekly waste collection from homes is really helpful. Before, we used to keep our waste in our homes for weeks before we could dispose of them through the private waste collectors who charge D50 per sack. If you have a struggling family like mine, you will not afford to dispose of your waste every week, but the KMC made it easier and cheaper for us,” Mariama Leigh said.
Leigh went on further to say the Municipality has been regressing in their waste collection efforts in recent times and falling back to the old days. This, she said, is one of the reasons for their unpunctuality compared to the beginning of the initiative.
Omar Colley, Project Manager for the KMC waste collection project, which is also known as the ‘MBALIT PROJECT’ said the Municipality is doing everything in its power to make sure there is a clean environment.
“Some trucks are getting old and under maintenance, their inconsistency is not deliberate.” Said Mr Colley.
In its efforts to stop littering and dumping in the streets, the KMC has also placed trash bins at busy places like Westfield, Traffic Lights, junctions along the Brikama Highway and so on.
About 20 waste collection trucks were unveiled at a ceremony presided by the Lord Mayor of KMC on 24th June 2019.
The KMC Mayor, Talib Hamed Bensouda was quoted saying, as part of the ‘Mbalit Project’, the Municipality has allocated D100M that belongs directly to the community of 19 wards in the Municipality. The project was a partnership between The KMC and QGroup.
According to a source, waste collection and disposal is one of the most expensive challenges faced by the Municipality and council authorities as waste disposal continue to account for a significant part of their daily financial expenditure. The waste collection helps to keep communities and nations clean and can also guarantee peoples’ health and the conservation of resources for development.
