AMA, Zoomlion clear city of unapproved dumpsites
The 10-day ultimatum issued by the Vice President, Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and other sanitation agencies to clear all refuse at unapproved dumpsites in the city has paid off.
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At the expiry of the deadline last Friday, huge piles of refuse in parts of the metropolis had been cleared.
In the last 10 days, the AMA and Zoomlion Ghana Limited led a massive clean-up campaign in some parts of the city engulfed in filth in an effort to rid the metropolis of unapproved refuse dumpsites.
Last Friday, Mr Amissah-Arthur embarked on an inspection tour of some notable refuse dump areas in the metropolis to apprise himself of the level of cleanliness in those places.
The Vice President was accompanied by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Julius Debrah; the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo; the AMA boss, Dr Alfred Vanderpuije, and the Chief Executive Officer of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong.
The visit took the Vice President and his entourage to La Wireless in the La Dadekotopon municipality, Agbogbloshie, Kokomlemle Brittania, and the Mallam Atta Market.
In all those places, the Vice President expressed satisfaction at the level of cleanliness in those areas which hitherto were described as an eyesore by residents in the last few weeks.
At La Dadekotopn, the Municipal Chief Executive, Ms Rita Odoley Sowah, told Mr Amissah-Arthur that the assembly was in the process of constructing a toilet facility at La Wireless.
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Aim
The government’s directive to the AMA was aimed at improving sanitation in the metropolis which had been hit by a cholera outbreak. The outbreak has been linked to deteriorating sanitation in the metropolis.
The ultimatum given by the Vice President followed a directive by President John Dramani Mahama to the Local Government Ministry and the city authorities to, as a matter of urgency, clear all refuse in the metropolis.
At Agbogbloshie, where the main drain had already been desilted following the directive, the AMA Chief Executive, Dr Vanderpuije, said the embankment around the drain was also being cleared.
Some Agbogbloshie market women who interacted with the Vice-President pledged their support towards the clean-up campaign, lauded the government for the initiative and appealed to the authorities to sustain the exercise.
At Kokomlemle Britannia, a mini waste transfer station was being constructed to help restore environmental sanity in the area.
Impression
The Vice President called on individuals and public-spirited organisations to help sustain the exercise, while he expressed delight at the positive outcome of his directive.
He asked the city authorities to seek the necessary support from the market women on how to get their input into ensuring that the exercise was successfully sustained.
The local government minister said the exercise would be replicated in other metropolises in the country.
Writer’s email: Sebastian.syme@graphic.com.gh