By: Problyn J Alpha
Traders at the Konomanyi Lorry Park in Koidu City, Kono District, Sierra Leone, are facing a serious challenge due to the lack of proper toilet facilities. They are appealing to the government of Sierra Leone, humanitarian organizations, and well-meaning citizens of Kono District to address this issue and construct toilets at the park.
Tamba Fengai, one of the traders at the park, highlighted the longstanding problem of inadequate toilet facilities, which has led to open defecation in the park, especially at night. This has created an unhygienic environment for both traders and passengers who use the park, particularly during Lumor, a local trade event held every Monday that attracts thousands of people from across the country.
Fengai explained that traders and passengers often resort to using containers for nature’s call, later finding a place to dispose of them due to the unsanitary conditions in the park. He emphasized that the situation not only affects traders but also inconveniences passengers who have no choice but to attend to nature in undesirable locations among stationed trucks and buses.
The trader further revealed that a toilet facility at the back of their store, constructed with contributions from Hon. Emerson Lamina and others a few years ago, has been misused and is no longer usable. Additionally, the toilet built by the late Pa Konomanyi, which they used before Lamina’s intervention, is also in disrepair.
Despite multiple appeals to the government of Sierra Leone and the Koidu New Sembehun City Council over the past five years, no significant action has been taken to address the open defecation challenge at the park. Tamba Fengai expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the construction of a toilet in the past but urged the central government, through the city council and other well-meaning citizens, to intervene and provide a lasting solution to the sanitation issue at the Konomanyi Lorry Park.
In a similar vein, Madam Isata Kakay, another trader at the park, emphasized the struggles faced by women due to the limited and distant toilet facilities. She described the situation as shameful and shared instances where they had to ask neighbors for help, sometimes facing embarrassment when denied access to toilets.
The traders collectively called for urgent intervention to construct new, well-maintained toilet facilities at the Konomanyi Lorry Park to improve hygiene and sanitation for everyone using the facility.
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