Residents in the city argue that failure to collect garbage and poor disposal has become a threat to their health and the environment and could expose them to hygiene-related diseases such as Diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera.
Financial Constraints are affecting garbage collection in Lira City. Several parts of the city are filled with dust and littered
with polythene bag "Kaveera". There are also piles of garbage
consisting while the dust bins are filled beyond
capacity.
Residents in the city argue that failure to collect garbage and
poor disposal has become a threat to their health and the environment and could
expose them to hygiene-related diseases such as Diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera.
In the last financial year, 15 Million Shillings was allocated for
sensitization and awareness creation on garbage collection. In the 2020/ 2021
budget, the city allocated 400 Million Shillings under the USMID project to
acquire two garbage trucks.
Patrick Ogweng, the Lira City Deputy Town Clerk says that since
the municipality was elevated to a City, they need more than 50 Million
Shillings to address the garbage problem.
Ogweng also says that they are yet to procure the garbage trucks,
but for the time being, they are using trucks that was given to the City by the
district.
//Cue in: “The funding from…
Cue out: … new garbage trucks.”//
Leonard Otika, the Lira City Environment Officer explained that
despite their efforts to ensure that the city remains clean, peoples’
perception of garbage collection is a challenge. He accuses
some residents of dumping garbage everywhere especially in drainage channels.
//Cue in: “Much as we…
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Janet Among a vendor in Lira City wonders why the city authorities
are silent on the matter. She says that the garbage has been building each day, but none of
the officials seems bothered.
“There is a mixture of all
sorts of garbage dumped there and as a result, the smell is so bad that it
penetrates even the face mask we wear. I have asthma and these days I find
myself suffocating just like that because of this garbage here.” she said.
Jimmy Ariti, the chairperson of retail produce dealers at Odyek
Ejang market says the stench from the garbage is chasing away customers.
//Cue in: “The smell plus…
Cue out: … even leave it.”//
Judith Ogweng, a food vendor at Odyek Ejang says her customers
have resorted to eating from other places instead of her food joint due to the stench from the rubbish.
