The Council stands to gain a lot if its Motor Park is given a facelift.
By Mofor Samuel
Most visitors coming to Buea town, of Cameroon, for the first time are shocked by what goes around its motor park- dubbed Mile 17 Motor Park.Buea plays host to Cameroon’s lone Anglo-Saxon University. The motor park is an eyesore and its activities beg for good hygienic conditions and facilities
Buea council’s inability to provide basic sanitation facilities to the public is the first embarrassment to those who are pressed by their bowels. Infact, one easily sees men just urinating anywhere in the park area. For their part, women sneak in to backyards or bushes around the park area for same purpose. One realizes that the urge can be very strong for those coming to town for the first time. The sudden change in temperature in Buea, determines the necessary adjustment that the various systems of the human body particularly the excretory system have to make. Woe betides anyone who had been drinking some moments before take off to Buea.
The situation is even worse for those who wish to defecate. Do not have the ill- luck of having a sudden attack of diarrhea and expecting to relieve yourself upon arriving at Buea Motor Park. There is this young man who went to purchase plastic items in Kumba to be sold in Buea. While in Kumba, he ate fufu and eru. Before he got to Muea, his bowels started rumbling and he was pressed by so much so that he could hardly maintain himself on the seat. Infact he was so pressed that upon arrival at Mile 17 Motor Park, he abandoned his wares and rushed across the road without even looking out for if any vehicle was coming. He punched his way through the Texaco Filling Station, then tore his way into the sugar cane farms and barely had time to lower his underpants…you can guess the rest of the story. Strange enough, the owner of the farm stood by and watched the drama unfold. At first he almost took the intruder for a thief on the run, only to realize that the young man had a message from his bowels to deliver to Mother Nature. What an embarrassment to all and sundry! Man is being sent back to the primitive era when his animalistic instinct had an edge over his intellectual ability.
The recent construction of the CNPS edifice has compounded matters in showing the grim and ugly face of the motor park. Matters further worsened by the tarring of the Mutengene- Muea Highway. What is the essence of dividing the park into two-a small area covered with tar and a large area left uncovered exposing the population to the whims and caprices of dust and mud? Apartheid’s rebirth or just the real face of discrimination a la Camerounaise in the manner in which public facilities are being handled and treated? Even the Driver’s Union and Council staff have been forced to abandon their offices for the open air because they too cannot cope with the situation as at now. Couldn’t the council make arrangement for the tarring of the whole park given that it generates a lot of income from the park?
Another disgusting picture is that of dirt everywhere- sugar cane peelings, waterproof papers, very bushy roundabout, haphazard display of articles, foodstuff sold in not so good hygienic conditions, empty containers everywhere, no pipe borne water, and a near complete disorder as to who does what, when and how that might result to keep the entire park dirty or unclean.
Garbage collection services are inadequate or non-existent around the park area. One cannot be over-estimating to say close to between 30-50% of solid waste generated within the confines of the park area are left uncollected. It accumulates on the park and the open spaces around the Mile17 area causing serious health problems.
Garbage left uncollected invites flies; these flies promote the transmission of infections. It also attracts rats; it can be a serious fire hazard; and also blocks drainage channels increasing health problems related to flooding.
Keeping the entire park clean should not only be when there is an event of national or international magnitude. Also the poor image of this park and its sanitation picture in particular, bring two things to mind: the indifference and the incompetence of the authorities in charge of the hygiene and sanitation situation of the town, given that the park is the gateway into the town.
Even the projectors at the Mile 17 Roundabout are still to shine; this also applies to the other street lamps which reckless drivers keep knocking down one by one. At the end of the day the whole issue looks so ridiculous for a town like Buea.
The council has all it takes to reverse and change the face and shape of things. With the huge sums generated from the park, it just needs to set up and organize a hygiene and sanitation team for the park in collaboration with the Driver’s Union, Buea Health District and other interested parties to cater for the hygiene and sanitation situation of the park. This team whose workers must rotate monthly to guarantee equal participation and fairness will have amongst other as task: to organize the activities of the park- loading and of-loading , selling of items, entering and leaving the park, guarantee the security of passengers and their belongings, take care of the cleanliness of the park, ensure the proper use of toilets to be constructed by the council, make sure there is proper lighting at night, make sure people do not litter the place, take care of the waiting hall(s) to be constructed by the council, supervise any other activity around the park and submit daily reports to the council which will have the responsibility to share with other collaborators. At first the council can vote a budget to kick start the project(s), then when everything is in full gear, funds generated from the different activities to pay workers and those involved in the other activities that guarantee the cleanliness and orderliness in the park. The council will just be in charge of general supervision-income, expenditure and balance on a monthly basis. Income generated at the park should be used first for the upkeep of the park and the surplus is channeled to other areas of development. The council should try to make the park to function round the clock and workers to rotate from one shift to the other.
To ensure sustainability, public opinion must be sought and their concern taken into consideration before implementing whatever project that hinges on the hygiene and sanitation in the motor park. Buea Council stands to gain a lot if the Mile 17 Motor Park is given the befitting look it deserves.
No comments:
Post a Comment