The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 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.
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.
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.
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.
********
URN
