Liberia: World Bank, EU Donates Solid Waste Collection Equipment to PCC
Paynesville City Mayor, Pam Belcher Taylor cutting the ribbon.
The World Bank and the European Union have donated four trucks and one front loader to the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) to improve solid waste collections in Paynesville.
The equipment was provided through the Cheesemanburg Landfill and Urban Sanitation (CLUS) project, which is funded by the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund. It is also supported by the EU, supporting government efforts in ensuring increased access to solid waste collection and disposal in Greater Monrovia, including Paynesville.
The CLUS aims to close the existing landfill in Whein Town and construct a new landfill in Cheesemanburg, as well as provide support to waste collection and disposal is administered by the World Bank. Presenting the equipment, World Bank Operations Officer, Carol Wambugu, said sorting, composting and recycling are means of reducing waste from reaching the landfill.
She called the PCC authorities to put in place waste management practices that will have communities as key players.
“It is our sincere request that we would like to encourage the PCC to its own revenue sources so that it can supplement the government's effort towards waste management,” said madam Wambugu.
“One of the ways to do this is to strengthen cordial engagement to bring on board more actors in the waste management sector including the private sector,” the World Bank Operations officer recommends.
According to her, the donation yesterday is the second batch of equipment the World bank has provided for the City Corporation.
"The equipment being handed over today to PCC are 4 trucks and one-fourth loader is the second batch of equipment to be handed over. The first equipment was a yellow machine, two trucks and one skate truck were provided in 2018."
She added that more equipment including the most desired tricycle will be donated but the World bank expects that this new equipment will go a long way in improving waste collections in Paynesville.
In remarks, EU Program Manager Climate, Rural Development and Environment, Vera Kellen thanked the team at the World Bank for donating such a timely equipment. "I stand here today representing the EU but we are not the only donors bringing you this equipment so I also want to mention the other donors which are the British government, the German government and the World bank".
According to her, since 2017 the EU support to the waste sector has changed. Ms. Kellen says before 2017 the EU were only working extensively with Monrovia and Paynesville were benefiting indirectly.
"The landfill is the last solution. Chessmanbury is very far, the World bank is doing their best and the EU is doing their best".
Receiving the equipment, Pam Belcher Taylor, PCC Mayor, pleaded with citizens to erase the mentality that the government is responsible to do everything.
"Everything is like a free ride in this country, waste management is expensive. No country in the world I see is responsible for collecting garbage for free. No country in the world I see people do not have that nationalist pride, that sense of patriotism that you will take trash from your house and put it in your car to dump on the side of the road in Paynesville," Mayor Taylor frowned on residents.
"People who complain every day, castigate and talk, market people who create the dirt and put it on the side of the road for God's sake we must come baby sits your", the mayor continued.