The Mauritanian army says it has managed to rid the capital Nouakchott of 80,000 tons of garbage in the course of a few days.
By Mohamed Moctar
The first such operation in 20 years was conducted by four military units: the commandos’ battalion, the fifth military region, military engineering and the command and services battalion, a statement from the military on Monday revealed.
The army’s involvement in cleaning up the Mauritanian capital was decided a few days after the new President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani took office.
The frequency of garbage accumulated near roads and main streets in Nouakchott pose a serious health and hygiene problem for the population.
It is also a major blemish to the image of the country’s largest city.
In addition to this problem, there is the chronic headache of garbage dumps, which are often located at the ends of the capital, close to populations who regularly complain about them without a viable solution being on the horizon.
Usually in charge of garbage collection, municipalities washed their hands of it, on the grounds that they have been completely excluded from it since the decentralization of the city and the creation of the Nouakchott urban community.
The latter said it does not have the necessary means for the daily cleaning of all the districts of Nouakchott.
The urban community has recently been replaced by a regional council that has not yet begun work.
MOO/odl/cat/lb/as/APA