AMA to get tough on environmental sanitation offenders

The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, has issued a stern warning that anybody caught in the metropolis perpetrating environmental or sanitation-related crimes will be arrested by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Sanitation Taskforce and prosecuted without fear or favour. 

He said the AMA will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa is realised.

Mr Sowah gave the warning when he addressed a ceremony at the State House to unveil ten mechanical street sweepers procured by waste management giants Zoomlion Ghana Limited in an effort to help achieve the president’s vision of a cleaner Ghana.

He gave the assurance that the AMA will continue to partner with Zoomlion and other sanitation entities to fight this course fully and eliminate filth from the city.

The Mayor commended Zoomlion for their proactiveness in dealing with the waste menace with different strategic approaches.

In an address, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies and owner of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Joseph Siaw Agyepong catalogued a number of interventions the company has introduced to manage waste in Ghana.s.

He stated that the introduction of the sweepers was an effort also to help Ghana to attain the stated objectives of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 6, relating to the provision of clean water, sanitation and resiliency to disasters.

“It is in this direction that we in Ghana have been fortunate to receive a clarion visionary call from His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to purposefully work to ensure that Accra and indeed the entire country is transformed to attain environmental cleanliness,” Mr Agyepong said.

For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Ishmael Ashittey said the arrival of the sweepers was very appropriate for the cleaning of some major roads and ceremonial streets. 

Mr Ashittey advised Ghanaians to stop littering the environment for their own good as it is the cause of many diseases and floods.