By Fatoumatta K. Jallow
Dresden-Banjul Organization, in collaboration with Brikama Area Council (BAC) and National Environment Agency (NEA), is
supporting the collection of garbage at the Wellingara dumpsite situated near the nursery and lower basic school and the main market. The cost of the exercise is said to be at the tune of D300, 000, according to the members of the organisation.
This dumpsite has been a health threat to the people of Wellingara for over two years now.
On Saturday, 7 January, 2017 they engaged many trucks to remove all the waste at the dumpsite so as to maintain a hygienic and healthy environment.
Speaking to Mustapha Saidykhan, Human Resource Manager, Dresden-Banjul organisation, he said they have been clearing this dumpsite for over three years now but the problem still persists.
He revealed that they are planning to bring four to five barrels for people to dispose their wastes and that a vehicle will be coming every day to collect the waste.
He said his organisation is there to help people and will also sensitise on waste disposal as there is a school and market around and that they have started this.
Muhammed Jallon Jabang, Senior Officer of Environmental Quality, said “today we are engaged in a cleaning up exercise at the Wellingara market which is an illegal dump site which was created by the community and the market at an unsuitable place which is located in between three schools.”
Jabang added that they signed an MOU with Dresden-Banjul organisation to participate in the cleansing exercise with some of the critical dumpsites which include the one in Wellingara.
“They will make it easier for the people dumping and we will be putting four barrels for the people to dump their garbage to enable easy collection on a daily basis,” he revealed.
He urges people who come from far away with donkey carts and cars coming to dump waste to desist from the practice as they will be resorting to court action to stop it.
Mam Sait Jallow, Chief Executive Officer of BAC, said this cleaning exercise has been organised by the NEA, Dresden and BAC to collect garbage at Wellingara which he described as one of the troublesome dumpsites for BAC.
“We have never had such a supportive organisation which will take care of Wellingara dumpsite to make so everything is clean for healthy environment,” he disclosed.
The BAC CEO said the plans they have for the Wellingara dumpsite is to make sure that it is always clean. “Dresden will increase garbage containers and the council will be engaging people to watch over the dumpsite to make sure that dumping is done correctly by the people,” he said.
He concluded that the council is calling on the community to make sure that dumping is done properly and not indiscriminately to eliminate the problems associated with the garbage dump. He added that is why they are sensitising the community to use the dump site properly, adding that with their cooperation they will make headway.
