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 Some parts of Gbese were clean during a visit there. Pictures: EDNA SALVO-KOTEY
Some parts of Gbese were clean during a visit there. Pictures: EDNA SALVO-KOTEY

Filth returns to Gbese barely a month after clean-up exercise

Barely a month after a massive clean-up and a decongestion exercise at Gbese in the Greater Accra Region, filth and unauthorised structures have resurfaced in the area.

The exercise was organised by the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), in collaboration with the Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), to rid the area of filth.

It involved clearing of gutters and drains, sweeping the shoulders of the streets as well as gathering and disposing of refuse.

As part of the exercise, structures that were seen to be obstructing the easy flow of water were demolished to help address the issue of flooding in the area.

The move was part of the GCGL’s national sanitation campaign which is aimed at drawing the public’s attention to the worsening sanitation condition in the country.

However, at a visit to the area yesterday, the Daily Graphic observed that the area had reverted to its former state.

Observations

It was observed that the streets in the area, including the market, had piles of refuse accompanied by a pungent smell and flies.

In spite of the health implications of the situation, food vendors and fish sellers were seen busily going about their business without proper hygiene practices.

It was also observed that filth in the gutters had also regenerated while the demolished structures along the streets had also resurfaced.

         Some gutters choked with plastics at Gbese in Accra weeks after a clean-up exercise was organised  to clear the filth in the area

Residents

Strikingly, some of the residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic seemed not to be bothered about the situation.

According to them, the area was clean and that good hygiene practices were being observed, contrary to the situation on the ground.

A resident who gave his name as Nii Tackie said: “Ever since the clean-up exercise, we have decided to maintain sanity in the area. Indiscriminate dumping of refuse has become a thing of the past.”

Asked about the filth generated on the street, he said “previously, this area was dirtier than we are seeing today, there was filth at every corner and it became a breeding ground for mosquitoes but I think it is better now.”

Another resident, Naa Okailey, expressed worry over the situation in the area.

She said there had been a series of clean-up exercises which had taken place this year but few days after the exercise, the situation returned.

“It’s heartbreaking that this place has become synonymous with filth and that is because of how careless we are about our environment. This is causing a lot of health challenges, particularly for children in this area,” she added.

Background

The Graphic Communications Group Limited has declared 2021 the ‘Year of Sanitation’ and is focusing on efforts to engage the citizenry to adhere to good sanitation practices.

As part of the campaign, the company has launched a National Sanitation Campaign to promote a clean environment and draw attention to the worsening sanitation condition in the country.

Already the company, in partnership with the ZGL, has embarked on a clean-up exercise in Accra and Kumasi.

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