Yusif Dahiru, a 32-year-old Nigerian, was detained by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on suspicion of collecting rubbish without authorisation and extorting money from people at an illegal dumping location close to UTC in Accra.
Gilbert Nii Ankrah, the head of public affairs at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), revealed the occurrence and stated that a tip led to the suspect’s arrest at around three in the morning on Monday.
Mr. Ankrah clarified that despite without approval from the Assembly, the suspect was stationed at the location and collecting trash from the public as if he had been formally assigned to oversee waste disposal there.
He said that the suspect also purportedly claimed to be employed by a boss and was collecting money from people under the guise of providing rubbish removal services.
According to Mr. Ankrah, Dahiru acknowledged that he had been assisting in the transportation of trash to the location in exchange for payment, but he denied being an official waste collector during questioning.
According to him, the suspect clarified that the trash was transported in a tiny rubber container and that, in exchange for the money he was paid, he was frequently asked to help lug it.
Mr Ankrah stated that the suspect also referenced an Asafoatse and two other people for whom he claimed to work, and Dahiru claimed that the Asafoatse would generally come to the spot to collect the money after the rubbish was placed.
He said that such allegations had prompted another line of inquiry into the suspected involvement of others in the illegal rubbish dumping.
Mr. Ankrah stated that the arrest was a component of the Assembly’s continuous efforts to combat extortion, illegal dumping, and unauthorised waste handling, all of which jeopardise the capital’s sanitation management.
He emphasised that only individuals and organisations legally authorised by the Assembly were allowed to collect and dispose of rubbish, and he issued a warning that anyone caught breaking the law would face consequences.
According to Mr. Ankrah, investigations are still on to confirm the suspect’s allegations and find any further individuals who may be connected to the purported illicit activity so they can be prosecuted.
Source: newsthemegh.com