Playground at Kanawu still dumping site
Children at Kanawu, a suburb of Tema West, have appealed to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) to prevent residents from using the only playground in the community as a refuse dump.
The children complained that the refuse had occupied part of the playground, for which reason it had become difficult for them to participate in any recreational activity because they had to compete for space with the refuse.
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The children made the appeal when the Junior Graphic visited the neighbourhood as a follow-up to a publication in the paper about the playground being turned into a refuse dump by residents.
It was discovered that three years after the publication, the situation was still the same and the matter had not been resolved.
Residents still defecate and continue to dump refuse on the playground at night, instead of the rubbish site nearby.
The community, which is waterlogged, is engulfed by uncontrollable stench, especially during the rainy season.
In an interview, Enoch Agboado, 14, a JHS Two student of the Adjei Kojo TMA ‘1’ JHS, Ashaiman, said he and his friends used the playground for football training sessions.
According to him, his parents did not allow him out of the house because they were scared he might get bitten by a snake or get an infection.
“We will be glad if the refuse is cleared, so that we can play in a safe environment,” he added.
Iddrisu Muhammed, 14, a JHS One student of the Atturacy Academy, Ashaiman, also said most of his friends who lived in the neighbourhood relocated to other communities after they were infected with cholera because they used to go to the playground to play.
“When I had cholera after playing here, my parents told me not to visit the playground again, but this is the only place where I can play with my friends, and that is why I still come here to play,” he explained.
He said whenever he played football with his friends, the ball sometimes landed on the refuse dump, which contained a lot of germs, but they had no choice but to pick it up.
He, therefore, appealed to the authorities to go to their aid by arresting the people who dumped refuse on the playground and also clear the refuse from the area.
Some parents in the community complained bitterly about how that part of the community was engulfed by stench, particularly during the rainy season.
The football trainer of Soccer Armies Football Club, Mr Paul Anabriebila, who was spotted relaxing after a training session with his team, explained that even though the place was not conducive, they didn’t have anywhere else to train.
He lamented the fact that whenever he tried to stop the residents from dumping refuse on the playground, they rained insults on him.
“Parents do not allow their children to come out to have their football training any longer for the children to develop their talents,” he added.
Mr Anabriebila urged the assembly to clear the refuse and arrest the people who dumped refuse on the playground to serve as a deterrent to others.
Mrs Elizabeth Quansah, a resident, said children who played on the playground could suffer from cholera because they picked up germs from the filth.
She urged the authorities to put measures in place to prevent people in the community from dumping refuse on the playground and also sanction people who disobeyed the rules.
The Assembly Member for the area, Ms Charity Siameh in an interview gave the assurance that the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) would arrest people who dumped refuse or defecate on the playground.
