By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Residents in Tiloma community in Kenema City have expressed fears of a possible outbreak of diseases as a result of fly infestation.
The community people say they have been battling with a swam of flies which are attracted to their community by a nearby dumpsite run by the Kenema City Council (KCC).
The dumpsite is located just two miles away from the community and the residents say the situation has become unbearable as they have for a long time been forced to do everything indoors.
The dump site was established at the end of 2018.
Hindolo Bundu Kamanda, who has resided in the community since 2008, recalled a relatively amicable life in the community until the establishment of the dumpsite.
“Our environment was peaceful with no threat of flies, even when we did our gardening. But since the establishment of this dumpsite by the Kenema City Council, we started to experience problem with flies coming from the site,” Kamanda said.
“Since the council started dumping wastes from the city, nobody have been able to live in peace here. We can’t eat outside,” he added.
Satta Kamara, a housewife, said they can no longer dish food outdoor, as they were used to. She said they have to cover themselves with bed net, with the children standing on guard while they dish out food.
“We can’t sleep during the day. If you come from the market and mistakenly expose the things you brought outside, it will look as if you are coming from the toilet; flies will be all over the items,” Kamara explained.
Mr Kamanda said he spends close to Le30, 000 every day on insect repellant, just to get some peace. He told Politico that some of his close relatives couldn’t bear with the situation and have had to relocate to other communities.
Kamanda said he had written to the KCC numerous letters expressing concern over the situation, but that they haven’t responded to any of his letters. He said he had also written letters to the Human Rights Commission and health authorities in the district.
“If council and the health authorities fail to come to our aid, there is a possibility for an outbreak of a sickness,” he warned.
“Economically, the little amount of money we have to buy some things for the children is now used to purchase medicine against the flies,” he added.
The town chief of Tiloma, Boima Swarray Fogbawa, said life in the community has not been the same since the dumpsite was established close to their community.
Market women and institutions have either left the community or are about to leave.
One institution that is contemplating leaving is the Theological Bible College. The head of the college, Evangelist Peter Barnett, said they have informed the Council about their decision.
”As a college, we have informed the council, but since we have not got any response from them, as an institute, we have decided to leave the community because we can’t withstand the situation at all. Flies affect our lecturers,” said Barnett.
KCC officials admitted knowledge of the situation and said they were working out a permanent solution.
The Acting Head of the Waste Management Department at the city council, Mohamed Ngevao, said relocation of the site was no deliberate move by the council to cause discomfort for the resident.
“We are not making any defense on the matter as council, but [we want] people to understand the situation; it’s our job and we are ready to do the job in ensuring that people are not affected,” he said.
He added: “We will engage the mayor and chief administrator to ensure improved management of the dump site by demanding for bigger tractors to help the situation.”
Ngevao added that it was common for flies to be around dumpsites.
“Any place where waste is managed, flies will be around the place. And the waste is not generated by council but the people council is serving,” he said.
He said their plan is to ensure that tractors are deployed to dig a hole and bury the waste to deprive the flies the condition to breed.
The Environmental Health Superintendent of the district, Eric Musa, also said they were aware of the concerns of the people of Tiloma. But, in a telephone interview, he sought to allay their fears of an outbreak of a disease as a result of the flies infestation.
“I am aware of the concerns of the people and we have discussed it. Those flies are normal community flies that do not cause elephantiasis, neither sleeping sickness,” he said.
Musa however said that the insects could cause diarrhea.
“Since we are in the rains, if they (flies) lay eggs and there are ruminants in the community and they come in contact with food and water, it will lead to diarrhea,” he said.
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