Residents of Rwotho County in South Sudan’s Kapoeta State complain of a dumpsite located in the area as being a health hazard to the surrounding communities.
The Nyarem-gom dumpsite is 3KM from Kapoeta Town and is used to dump expired goods mostly, fruits, fresh fish and canned foodstuffs.
39 year-old Gittion Ayong told Radio Tamazuj said they site is a hazardous to the community and should be relocated.
“It is not good for us and our community as all these expired goods are been dumped here and this will affect our children as they will be forced to play with and eat them. Right now some of the community members are sick from diarrhea,” said Ayong.
Another resident Margetta Naboi said some people have taken advantage of the site. She said recently people have been visiting the site to excavate the expired goods for resale and consumption.
Naboi urged those using the dump site and the state government to find solutions to the issue to avoid a possible disease outbreak.
Ujuma Nakai, whose relative was a victim of the expired goods at the site, appealed to the government to close the site saying many people are hungry and vulnerable to eating the expired foods at the site.
Radio Tamazuj could not reach the local area chief as well as the county health officer to ascertain the amount of damage by the dump site.