WHO ARE THEY?

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

At the sound of their arrival, I rushed out with my dustbin and was met by a smiling young man. He greeted me amiably before taking the bin from me. I watched him hand it over to another young man who dumped the contents inside the big truck. Handing my bin over to me, they waved briefly and headed off towards the next compound. That was when the stench hit me.

 Covering my face, I ran back into my compound but the pungent odor pursued me closely. I ran inside, slammed the door behind me, hurriedly shut my windows and increased the speed of the fan. The stench from that truck is best imagined.

I wondered how those young men could survive days and months behind that truck! Why do they work without gloves and boots unlike their counterparts in Europe and other countries?  Are they even adequately paid for the services they render?

If you are living within the FCT, I am sure you must have noticed these garbage trucks and their occupants. Their major duty is to maintain and keep the FCT clean and habitable for us. Most times, we only notice that they have failed in their duty when the garbage in front our various homes and offices go unpacked for days.

I am sure that you must have also noticed these young men ride behind these very unhygienic and smelly trucks without gloves or masks, dressed in worn out uniforms and in regular worn out shoes. What baffles me is that the pungent and agonizing odor from these environmental trucks, linger in the air so many minutes after they had passed. Is it that they are never washed? How do these waste collectors cope with the flies and the filth?

This is not a story, but an accolade to young men and women who play very vital roles in the maintenance of our environment. In my opinion, they deserve the best salaries and insurance policies from the government and private organizations for their excellent services. Their dedication should be rewarded adequately and not over looked.

However, just as they risk their lives in their bid to ensure that we have a clean and healthy environment, they should be provided with the best kit for the job and these garbage trucks should be thoroughly maintained and sanitized so as to protect the collectors and the citizens from diseases.