Sierra Leone News: Lumley Market Faces Grave Sanitation Problem

By George M .O Williams

Lumley Market which is situated along Freetown Road is faced with poor toilet facility. The market has no pipe borne water, no administrative office, and no electricity, among others.

Residents of Wilberforce, Juba, Malama, Aberdeen, and Hill Station, among others usually come to buy food items at the Lumley market, but the poor sanitary condition at the market is endangering the lives of both the traders and customers.

Freetown City Council (FCC) is mandated to improving the health and sanitation of every market in the municipality, but it seems it has forgotten about the Lumley market.

The chairlady of the market, Seray Menu told Premier News that Lumley market has only one compartment toilet which is used by both men and women, adding that this situation is posing health risk especially for the women and girls.

She added that there is no administrative structure, no electricity absolutely, no pipe borne water, deteriorating market building.

“Since I was elected in 2018 as chairlady, we have made several complaints to FCC in relation to the deplorable toilet condition in the market, but the Council is paying deaf ears to our problems,” she said. “Our lives are at stake because it is not hygienic for both men and women to use the same toilet facility. Besides, the one toilet can no longer serve the population of the market.” She added that they have not received any feedback from Council.

Madam Menu said that they want to have access many excreta disposal facilities like a septic tank, simple pit latrine or a ventilated improved latrine to improve the health and sanitation condition in the market.

“The stench and stinky water emanating from the toilet pipes sometimes flood the market and the main Freetown road, leaving the environment polluted and exposed to health threats,” Chairlady Menu said.

“The toilet mostly overflows which has made most customers to stop coming here to buy their stuffs.” She explained that whenever the toilet overspills, they will contribute certain amount towards the maintenance of the toilet and it septic tank, adding that maintenance of the markets including the health sanitation aspect falls within the mandate of the Council.

She explained that one of the rationales of paying market dues to the Council is for the Council to provide good sanitation. “We are regularly paying our market dues to FCC and the Council in turn should provide a better market environment, but the Council has not improved the sanitary condition in the market,” she said.

Chairlady Menu said that the existing deplorable toilet was constructed over 15 years ago by council, and was later rehabilitated in 2011 by Ox Farm Sierra Leone with aid from the United Kingdom government.

She called on the Council to prioritize the maintenance of Lumley market, noting that the market should be sanitized since it is place where buyers and sellers meet.

In her response, the deputy Information Education Officer of Freetown City Council (FCC), Zainab Kanu said, “The present situation of the market was never reported by the market stakeholder, and therefore they are not aware of the situation.”

She disclosed that “the councillor in that Ward sent a proposal to us three months ago for the rehabilitation of the broken toilet and clearing of Septic tank. We funded the project.” She said that the project should have improved the health and sanitation condition of the market. “If there are any concerns, the executive of the market should send a proposal to FCC,” she said. “In as much they are paying their dues, we are obliged to maintain the sanitation of the market.”

She said that the upkeep of the market is a collective responsibility of both the FCC and the traders.