URBAN DECAY The living condition of workers is no better than their working condition. Nor is the rise of these diseases restricted to hostile working environment. Closely related to the collapse of the society is the rise, at fantastic rates, of the slum, ghettos, to which the poor masses are confined and removed from the sight of the rich. Every Nigerian big city has its own slum, its own ghetto. The massive overcrowding of these areas helps fuel diseases. Rows upon rows of rickety wooden houses suspended over swamp, crumbling blockhouses with the plaster peeling off, makeshift zinc houses, etc gives the impression of war zone. These houses give neither comfort nor self-respect to a man. There are days, weeks and months when the inhabitants of this place seem to live worse than animals. When it rains the whole place gets flooded. The filth and squalor is terribly depressing. These areas qualify for a “disaster zone”. Yet in these hellholes little children are growing the people who live in these places are generally poor, working class families. They live on the outskirts of society, with no help and nowhere to look for help. No medical service, no proper sanitary facilities, no potable water, no good schools etc. Destitution is on the increase and millions of children are born, live and die on the street without ever having a roof over their head. Copyright © Worker’s Alternative The Marxist Voice of the Working Class and Youth For the Unity of the Working Class, Labour Party & Socialism Vol. 16 No. 2 December 2014/January 2015 workersalternative
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 18:59:38 +0000