Accra can still become cleanest city in Africa – Mayor

The Major of Accra has urged the media and Ghanaians in general to partner the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to achieve the government’s vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa.

According to  Mohammed Adjei Sowah, Accra’s sanitation challenges require an “all hands on deck “ approach.

Speaking to JoyNews’ Augustina Buckman, during a carol service organised by the Assembly, he said despite the effective law enforcement regime of the Assembly, it cannot do much if persons who flout sanitation bye-laws are not reported to the appropriate authority.

“Once you are able to spot people who bring domestic waste and dump them into roadside bins,  the full rigour of the law will arrest them,” he added.

Two years ago, President Nana Akufo-Addo joined the Accra Mayor to declare war on filth in Ghana. The two also promised to make Ghana the cleanest city in Africa.

This is not the first time war has been declared on filth. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije who was Mayor of Accra before Mr Sowah made a similar declaration.  Yet the sanitation situation in the city keeps getting worse.

But Mr Sowah is unfazed. He is hopeful a partnership with the media and the public will produce the needed results in the area of sanitation.

In addition, the Government is scheduled to introduce a National Sanitation Authority Bill to parliament soon.

Speaking at a forum by the National Development Planning Commission on the theme ‘sustainable management of Ghana’s sanitation,’ the Minister of Sanitation, Cecilia Dapaah, said when the said authority is established it will be a pillar in the fight against filth.

“The anchor for harnessing all our efforts together is the establishment of a National Sanitation Authority, which the vice president announced in Ho at the Mole conference,” she added.

Source: Myjoyonline