Public health officers are strictly enforcing cleanliness bye-laws as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) launches a citywide cleanup effort to commemorate the second National cleanliness Day.
The AMA swept and cleared obstructions from the streets in major areas such as the Agbogbloshie and London Markets and Chorkor through Lante Maami to Chemuenaa. The exercise was led by Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, the mayor of Accra, and was part of an effort to promote environmental cleanliness and encourage full public participation in the citywide campaign to make Accra cleaner, safer, and healthier.
Speaking to the media during the Agbogbloshie Market exercise, Mayor Allotey praised the majority of traders for their support and expressed delight with the turnout.
He remarked, “First of all, I want to thank the good people of Ghana for always listening to us whenever there is information about National Sanitation Day. I truly appreciate Ghanaians for being wonderful people and law-abiding citizens.”
The Mayor added that great progress had been made and that the Assembly had kept its pledge to dedicate a full month to continuing the cleanup efforts at Agbogbloshie after the first iteration of the exercise.
“You can see the great work that has been done. As we said, we are still here, working to sustain these improvements. My overall observation today is that we are having a wonderful exercise. Many people have supported us, and I am very pleased with the turnout,” he added.
However, Mayor Allotey issued a warning that anyone who opened their stores during the exercise in violation of the bye-laws would be subject to consequences, emphasising that enforcement was essential to maintaining order and stopping careless dumping.
“We will make sure the laws are enforced, and these few people will serve as examples to demonstrate that our bye – laws are effective. Without the enforcement of these bye – laws, people might act carelessly, for example, turning gutters into dumping sites,” he warned.
He expressed hope that such enforcement measures would guarantee long-term discipline in the city and appreciated the Sanitation Court’s ongoing role in encouraging compliance.
“Let me emphasise that cleanliness must be a lifestyle for everyone. You cannot keep your home neat while walking in a dirty environment. I am once again pleading and appealing, as I often do, that whenever we see a choked gutter or an unclean environment, we take action, alert people around, or report it directly to the AMA office,” he added.
The Mayor restated the Assembly’s resolve to uphold the progress achieved under the “Resetting Accra Agenda” and the notion that keeping the city clean was a collective civic duty.
Source: newsthemegh.com