By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
The outgoing mayor of Harper City, Maryland County has embarked on an effort to combat food-borne diseases and other life-threatening conditions within Harper City, burning expired goods for the first time IN eleven years.
Addressing the media on Friday, 22 December 2023 at the Harper City Corporation waste and contaminated food and non-food items disposal sites, Harper City Inspector Isaac Weah lauded the staff and management of Harper City Corporation and the business community for their collaborative effort during the first day of the expired goods collection excise.
Mr. Weah pointed out that the collection of those expired goods from the stores and shops will also be extended in the Harper general market in ensuring that the city is cleared of expired goods.
Inspector Isaac Weah explained that there are a series of complaints from the citizens concerning the expired goods sold on the market in Harper.
He said residents of Harper are always accusing the city corporation of taking bribe from the business community, an act that they claimed is preventing the city government from doing its job effectively.
Mr. Abraham C. Wilson, president of the Liberia Marketing Association in Maryland, expressed gratitude to the city authority for the bold steps taken for the first time in the last eleven years.
He affirmed the Liberia Marketing Association's (LMA's) commitment to the process of collecting and disposing of goods and assured his office's fullest support to the Harper City Corporation (HCC).
Thomas B. Mawollo, head of the Civil Society Organization of Liberia, Maryland County Coordinator, thanked the city government for its tremendous effort and the step taken in collecting expired goods from the market.
He also called on the city authority to be vigilant in the process because there will be lot of obstacles and temptation from the business community.
Mr. Mawollo said some of the businesspeople who are constantly selling expired goods are wicked and heartless.
For his part, Melchizedek H. Toe, Mayor of Harper City, narrated that it's important for the city authority to make it free from both consumable and non-consumable commodities.
He urged every resident in Harper City to work together with the city authorities in the process.
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He continued that the city mayor alone can't do all the works.
"So if you want the mayor [to] clean grave yards, clean the stores, the shops, it will be difficult for me alone ooo," he said.
"Let me say to our people, the city ordinance apart from the Constitution of Liberia is the second biggest law within the city, and the city ordinance gives us right for us to take expired goods from in the city," he narrated.
"It even gives us right to inspect boats that are and other marine transport vessels bringing goods in Harper to determine if the products are expired or not. And it is the function of the City Inspector," Mayor Toe explained further.
He stressed the corporation's optimism to the process of collecting and legally disposing expired goods.
According to Mayor Toe, violator shops and stores will be closed if they oppose the city operation and violate the ordinance.
