By Sandrine Lenyonga
Moving across major streets in Bamenda, one can see dirt littered around the garbage cans placed by the road. The stench emitted from this accumulated waste is described by many as discomforting and unhealthy. The scenario around markets is worse, since the garbage produced is enormous. Some hawkers are left with the option of selling next to the trash, in spite of the pungent smell.
As a result of the accumulated waste in the town, many inhabitants cannot help but wonder whether HYSACAM, the waste management company in the town has abandoned its duty, or fled the town completely.
To this effect, The Sun sought to know exactly what the issue was from HYSACAM officials. The Sun gathered that on the 28th of September, the road leading to HYSACAM’s dump site was cut off by unidentified men and since then, it has been difficult for the company to properly dispose of waste within the town of Bamenda.
The only attempt they have been making as far as keeping the town clean is concerned is by sweeping the town and clearing off waste at some strategic areas. “The man power is there. We are ready to work but we have circumstances beyond our control that prevents us from keeping the town clean”, a worker hinted.
The Sun also learnt from an inside source that efforts to secure an alternative dump site have been futile.
According to the government delegate to the Bamenda City Council, Vincent Nji Ndumu, “they informed me that there was a culvert that was bad along that area. I was prepared to give a jobbing order for a contractor to go and do the job and pave that culvert road so that if it is opened, there will be no problems of movements of vehicles to the dump site. These contractors went and they were basically chased away if not almost kidnapped by secessionist, not really coming from Bamenda III area, but rather coming from around Foya, which is within the Bafut council area”, he narrated.
The government delegate furthered that dump sites cannot be created at random, reason why it is difficult getting an alternative dump site at the moment. Adding to this, Vincent Ndumu said he had written a letter to the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO on Friday October 19th, expressing the difficulties the population of the Bamenda city council area is going through, coupled with the imminent risk of an epidemic that may arise because garbage has not been cleared off.
It is feared that if nothing is done to ameliorate the situation, the whole town will soon be left in the shambles of decomposing waste. Inhabitants of the town also risk suffering from food poisoning given the fact that most of those traders selling next to the garbage cans sell mainly food items.
To this effect, the government delegate called on inhabitants of Bamenda to stand up as one person to fight against acts that are detrimental to their livelihood. “For whatever reasons people are asking for one thing or the other, I think they should have limits as to what methods they can use to be able to ask for those kinds of things. You cannot be asking for something and at the same time stop an action that leads to your well being, the removal of garbage!” the government delegate frowned