By Amadou Manjang
Residents of the Greater Banjul Area are complaining about the uncollected rubbish from gutters across towns.
There are piles of rubbish seen lying on pavements and street corners across the town. The waste from the gutters is cleared by the National Road Authority to ensure rainwater steadily flows during the rainy season. Many gutters are cleared, but the rubbish is yet to be collected.
People are complaining that the uncollected waste is blocking their way, making it difficult for them to stand or walk on the pavements due to piles of uncollected rubbish that have been lying there for a week.
‘It is not nice to have rubbish lying on the pavement of our streets blocking our ways and access to our shops,’ Amie Joof said, adding that they have to collect ‘the rubbish because it is not nice to remove the rubbishes from the gutters and leave them on the streets like that.’
Amie further complained that the rubbish has been lying on streets corners and pavements for a week now. She said she fears that when it rains, the rubbish will get back to the gutters blocking the flow of the water.
‘It is not hygienic to have such dirt amidst the dwelling of the people. We are not comfortable having them on our streets. The authorities have to do their work properly. They need to be aware of our safety and wellbeing all the time,’ Musa Jallow added.
Musa further said the uncollected rubbish is a threat to their health, calling on NRA to collect them without delay.
‘They have to collect the rubbish before the rain starts coming, if not their work will be useless because the rubbish will get back into the gutters or scattered on the streets,’ Salifu Trawally said.
He further added that the rubbish is obstructing their access to roads, shops and compounds. He argued that NRA needs to urgently collect the rubbish.
Other people gave similar views regarding the uncollected waste on the pavements and street corners in town. They called on NRA to collect the rubbish before it is scattered on the roads or into the gutters they had cleaned.
According to National Road Authority communication officer, Arfang MS Camara, the rubbish will be cleared before the end of this week.
‘Our Operations Department has instructed for it to be cleared,’ he said.
