The Kissy bomeh with its noxious smell and foggy smoke has been a serious concern for the people living in that community and others using it as a route.
“The community is full of sick people due to the bad smell and the thick smoke that is coming from the bomeh,” said Mr. Kabba, deputy chairman of the Kissy Dockyard community at the east end of Freetown. He furthered that they have tried all they could to make a report about it at the nearest police station but all have proven unfruitful.
He said the youth at the bomeh burn tyres, with the ensuing smoke not good for human health, and “we have met with the councillor and other stakeholders to see how best they could help this community but no progress.” Mr. Kabba added that when the fume is at its peak, it engulfs the whole community and makes it very difficult to detect an object 15 yards out “because it’s dark and foggy.”
The Head Teacher of the Kissy Primary Municipal School, Mr. Karteh explained that the smoke has been a major problem for them especially in the dry season as it disrupts their classes, adding: “The pupils won’t see the board, and make it very non-conducive for them.” “I sometimes use my discretion as the Head Teacher to send the kids home to prevent them from inhaling too much of the smoke. The smoke is just one side of it; during the rainy season, this place is a complete mess as the flies and smell coming from the bomeh is unfit for any living creature to inhale.”
Mr. Karteh pleaded with the government to relocate the bomeh site as it is the only solution to the problem in the community.
A class 2 pupil, Mohamed Conteh of the Kissy Primary Municipal School said they find it very difficult to learn when the smoke engulfs the school premises and that the bad smell from the bomeh disturbs them as well. Rosaline Kanu, an indigene of the community, said that they sometimes leave their houses and go far off because of the smoke. “I find it very difficult to see the road when the smoke has taken all over the area,” she said. “All I am pleading is for the government to relocate this dump site to different area.”
Businessman Mamoud Conteh told Awoko that the smoke disturbs them and their businesses. “The smoke many a time drives our customers away because they can’t stand it.” said Mamoud. “I’m not in good health. I have been coughing since morning, because I’m here all day and I inhale the smoke.” He furthered that the smoke has caused accidents “because when its gets foggy, drivers can hardly detect another vehicle ahead and that has led to so many accidents here. We are calling on the government to come to our aid and rescue us from this hazardous dumpsite.”
By Ibrahim Sheik Kamara (Intern)