Congo/ Sanitation: a special sanitation operation to free up public spaces

The Minister of Urban Sanitation, Local Development and Road Maintenance, Juste Désiré Mondelé, in a statement issued on July 2, announced the launch, as of July 5, of a special sanitation operation to enhance the country's image in the run-up to the festivities marking the 65th anniversary of its independence.

In addition to enhancing the country's image, the operation aims to improve urban hygiene and promote a culture of civic-mindedness and property ownership. To ensure its success, the government has enjoined mayoral administrators and managers of state market committees to ask the population and merchants to free up irregularly occupied public spaces.ants to clear irregularly occupied public spaces, notably sidewalks, crossroads, traffic circles, public squares and roadsides. They should also identify, remove and impound abandoned vehicle wrecks; proceed with garbage disposal; systematically involve the population in a collective dynamic of cleanliness, civic-mindedness and city beautification.

"I'm counting on your diligence to implement all these instructions. I know I can count on you, and I'd like to remind you that from Friday, July 4, the police force and all of us together are going to carry out a decent pedagogy. In other words, we're going to inform everyone that there will be no excuses on Saturday. So those who have tables, those who have small shops occupying the vicinity of state-owned markets, who are obstructing traffic, please take steps to free them up, failing which, we will be obliged to do so", warned Juste Désiré Mondelé.

On October 29, 2023, the government launched a special sanitation operation called "Together, let's keep our cities clean". Aimed at freeing up arteries and public spaces previously occupied anarchically by shopkeepers and many other road users, this operation was followed by the population. In the same vein, the executive carried out an operation to clear and remove wrecked vehicles in the capital city.

"The proliferation of illegal rubbish dumps continues, and vehicle wrecks still litter the streets and avenues. The anarchic and illegal installation of shops, sheds or dwellings on public rights-of-way, as well as the installation of construction materials and demolition products, continues."The Minister of Sanitation, Local Development and Road Maintenance deplored the situation, pointing out that the same operation cannot be repeated every year.

According to him, the Republic of Congo must celebrate the ^65th anniversary of its accession to international sovereignty in a context marked by a strong determination to modernize its cities, restore the authority of the State over public space and sustainably improve the living environment of its fellow citizens.

Source: www.adiac-congo.com