AMA court convicts three for open defecation and illegal dumping in Accra
Three individuals have been convicted by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Sanitation Court for offences including open defecation and illegal waste disposal, as authorities intensify efforts to enforce environmental regulations in the capital.
The convictions form part of a renewed sanitation crackdown across Accra, where officials say persistent insanitary practices continue to pose serious public health risks despite ongoing awareness campaigns.
Jonathan Doku and Alhassan Seidu were each fined 60 penalty units after being found guilty of open defecation, with a default custodial sentence of two months. In a separate case, Joshua Adjei was fined 50 penalty units for dumping refuse at an unauthorised location.
The AMA said the prosecutions were driven by its determination to curb behaviours that undermine efforts to maintain a clean and healthy urban environment. According to the Assembly, open defecation remains a major concern due to its link to the spread of disease, environmental pollution and the degradation of public spaces.
Head of Public Affairs at the AMA, Gilbert Nii Ankrah, said the Assembly would sustain its enforcement campaign, warning that offenders would continue to face prosecution as a deterrent.
He noted that Environmental Health Officers, under the leadership of Florence Kuukyi, had been tasked to intensify monitoring and enforcement across the metropolis, targeting individuals and groups who flout sanitation by-laws.
The Assembly has also urged residents to make use of approved toilet facilities and dispose of waste only at designated collection points, stressing that improving sanitation requires collective responsibility.
Authorities say the ongoing exercise forms part of broader measures to restore environmental discipline in the city and safeguard public health, amid growing concerns about sanitation standards in densely populated areas.
