The Liberia Marketing Association (LMA), which should have championed the proverb, “Cleanliness is next to goodliness,” through sanitation awareness nationwide, especially in Montserrado County and its environs, is allegedly the chief patron of garbage pollution.
The LMA was established by Act of Legislature and is an entity with members across the country. Its aim and objective is to enhance growth, especially among marketers.
The LMA, which should have been a prestigious one nationwide, has lost its value due to its occupied territories being polluted by garbage, and is ripped by alleged enormous corrupt practices by people in authorities, according to investigation.
According to investigation, every table at every hall nationwide pays daily, weekly and monthly fees to the authorities, but it has no impact on the marketers and garbage disposal.
Investigation has shown that in Montserrado County and its environs the LMA is the key proponent of garbage pollution, followed by “zogoes” [street thugs], city corporation, among others.
For instance, anywhere marketers are, stockpiles of garbage are common. Testimonials are ELWA intersection’s market hall constructed by former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Du-Port Market constructed by President George M. Weah, Redlight, the hub of garbage, Duala Market, and so on.
However, all market halls superintendents nationwide are supervised by LMA’s headquarters at Rally Time Market, but where the headquarters is garbage pollution is on the rise.
The LMA does not promote sanitation awareness nor pay garbage disposal fee to city government, according to Paynesville City Corporation’s public relations at the time.
It generates fund daily, weekly and monthly, but it outcomes has had no benefit on the marketers. Besides, it has no scholarship and loan schemes, according to several aggrieved marketers.
“Our leaders collect taxes every day but no benefit. They can’t rent truck to throw garbage away. They can share the money because we are not seeing what they are doing with the money,” the angry marketers said, sitting before a stockpile of garbage and selling in Red-light.
Because the LMA is lackadaisical to sanitation issues nationwide, especially in Montserrado County and its environs, residents are buttressing them by giving their garbage to street thugs for a lax amount and dumping it at street corners in the night hours, leaving the city flooded with garbage.
The Paynesville City Corporation and several city corporations no longer prioritize sanitation, but have joined the LMA to keep Monrovia and Liberia dirty. Investigation continues.