Three Municipal Assemblies in the Greater Accra Region yesterday undertook a massive cleanup exercise in order to rid the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and its surroundings of filth.
The sanitation teams of the Ayawaso Central, the Korle Klotey and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly who were divided into several groups desilted chocked drains and weeded bushy places at the Tip Toe lane, VIP Stations, Saddisco, Adabraka, New Town, the Interchange and its surrounding.
They move formed part of the assembly contribution towards ensuring an environmentally-free atmosphere during and after this Homowo festival.
Shops were closed till 12 noon.
The Homowo clean-up exercise, initiated by the Ga Mantse, seeks to promote good waste management practices, improving environmental cleanliness and instilling a sense of community ownership and responsibility towards a safe and healthier environment.
The exercise, which started 7:00 a.m. was supported by officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ambulance Service, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Fire Service, Zoomlion and sanitation staff of the various assemblies who provided water to flush out severely-chocked drains.
The chair of the Ga Mantse Homowo cleanup exercise, Alexander Kwame Mensah Tumesi, told the Ghanaian Times that the exercise which was gradually picking up momentum would one day be fully embraced by all those who generate filth in Accra’s main business centres.
According to him, the exercise would continue even after the Homowo celebrations and assured that a stakeholder consultation would be held with the traders and shop owners on methods of preventing the filth they generate.
Mr Tumesi, who was also the Assembly-member for Ayidikie Electoral Area in the Ayawaso Central Municipality, stated that the government through the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, (RCC), had provided compassion trucks, tricycles and collection trucks at various points for the generators to pay for and dump.
The Ayawaso Central Municipal Coordinating Director, Ishmael Nana Ogyefo, commended the Ga Mantse’s initiative, and said it would complement President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s effort in making Accra the cleanest capital city in Africa.
According to him, environmental cleanliness must come from the support of the traders and shop owners, adding that, “that was why we must support the initiative before the onset of the season’s heavy rains to prevent flooding.”
The Regional Director of operations of the RCC, Ebenezer Nartey, said the involvement of the traditional authorities would garner the support of Ga Mashie and expressed regret that some shop owners and traders despite the laudable initiative had refused to take part in the exercise, and warned that a meeting would be converned among the three assemblies towards taking a firm decision on their unfortunate behavior.
The Chair of the VVIP Station, Babadogo Kolaa, commended the assemblies for the effort and called for more support in terms of equipment to enable them to clear the area of fifth.
He said the time had come for the reintroduction of stringent measures against those who pollute the environment to serve as deterrent to others.
BY LAWREANCE VOMAFA-AKPALU & PRECIOUS NYARKO BOAKYE
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