Accra Gets Fresh Look

By William Yaw Owusu.

Monday, 30 January 2006
Veep Mahama With ShovelFOR almost eight hours, commercial and social activities in the Accra Metropolis came to a stand-still on Saturday as all sections of the public got involved in a massive clean-up exercise to rid the city of the filth that had engulfed it for some time now.

Shops were closed, and the usual hectic scene of buying and selling at the markets as well as the struggle associated with operations of commercial vehicles were all brought to temporary abeyance.

Except for a few private vehicles, the streets were virtually empty of the usually heavy week-end traffic.

Those who had to travel to various destinations between 5 am and well after mid-day waited in vain to board public transport at the lorry stations.

The verdict of most people was that the exercise was effective but needs to be sustained..
True to his earlier promise, the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, joined residents to undertake the clean-up exercise.

Wearing an appropriate outfit T-shirt, a brown summer hat and a pair of brown trousers and Wellington boots, Alhaji Mahama together with some Ministers of State, Security Heads, and top government officials were with Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (AMA) as early as 6 am to begin the exercise.

They included Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye, nister of Lands, Forestry and Mines and Major Courage Quashigah, Health Minister who was at the AMA when the siren of the Accra General Post Office sounded to signal the commencement of the exercise at exactly 5 am.

Others were Professor Agyeman Badu Akosah, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr George Amofah, Director of Public Health, Mr Emmanuel Atenga, Chief Fire Officer, Mr Douglas Akrofi-Asiedu, Greater Accra Regional Police Commander and other service commanders.

Nii Adjiri-Blankson, said that with effect from today, the AMA will start court actions against residents who litter the environment or flout bye-laws of the assembly.

“The law must be allowed to take its course and what we did on Saturday is a symbolic attempt to sensitize residents on the need to follow the bye-laws strictly and ensure a clean environment.”

Major Quashigah (rtd), bemoaned the rate at which people spent so much resources on curing diseases that could easily be prevented through the ensurance of a clean environment .

Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Charles Bintim said that he will sell AMA’s initiative to all metropolitan and district assemblies and support their efforts to keep the country clean.

Sheikh Quaye asked residents to abide by the AMA bye-laws and serve as watchdogs for the assembly.

Nii Adjiri-Blankson later explained to the Times reason for leaving the filth collected from the gutters and drains on the street sides.He said the soaked waste materials need to dry to make it easier to collect them.

The Vice President and his team went round to see the level of work and to encourage the volunteers.

He visited the Makola market area, Katamanto, Atukpai, Salaga market, Agbogbloshie, Abossey Okai and Alajo and at some points joined in actual work.

Earlier in his remarks before the start of the exercise, the Vice President appealed to the media to highlight issues on the environment, particularly sanitation.

He said the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ghana Education Service should take up the clean-up exercise as “a national baby and as a national assignment because cleanliness is next to godliness.”

He warned that failure by Ghanaians to keep their environment tidy would cost the nation in tourism and national revenue in general.