Minister inspects sanitary conditions in Accra markets
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Alhaji Collins Dauda, has expressed satisfaction with the improved waste collection in the Central Business District of Accra.
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According to him, the new development was an indication that the measures put in place by the government to curb the insanitary conditions in the country were in order.
Alhaji Dauda made the remark when he paid an unexpected visit to some market centres in Accra last Thursday evening.
The visit was to enable him to witness the waste generated by traders after the close of work and how it was collected in order to avert the situation of uncollected refuse within the business district, which could easily ignite a cholera outbreak in the region.
Among the places the minister visited were the 31st December Women’s Market, Makola, Kantamanto and Agbogbloshie.
Though some parts of the markets had been cleaned at the time of his visit, it was observed that gutters were choked and filled to the brim with waste while some traders sat next to them and sold their wares unperturbed.
Last year, the country was hit by the worst cholera outbreak ever recorded, resulting in over 100 deaths.
According to health experts, the outbreak was caused by insanitary conditions, particularly heaps of rubbish that were left uncollected in market centres, where the public bought their food items.
Commendable work
Alhaji Dauda urged metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) to continue implementing favourable sanitation strategies and concentrate on cleaning drainage systems.
“You should not only be concerned about the garbage that is thrown onto the street but be also interested in the gutters as well,” he said.
He directed the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to make waste collection and disposal a priority and commended the waste collectors for their efforts to keep the city clean.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, and his deputy, Mr Isaac Nii Djanmah Vanderpuiye, who were part of Alhaji Dauda’s team, said his office would ensure that the region was not affected by cholera this year.