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At Tema Community One Market, Kwasia Dwaso,there is filth everywhere
At Tema Community One Market, Kwasia Dwaso,there is filth everywhere

Overflowing garbage bins - An eyesore in Tema

The sanitation situation in the Tema metropolis is getting out of hand and the authorities must respond quickly before the unexpected happens.

As one travels through the metropolis, the picture painted of the once well-planned metropolis is nothing to write home about. The central business district of Tema Community One for instance, is consumed by filth.

The previous administration of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), in a bid to address the situation, came out with this concept of walkway sanitation bins to facilitate garbage collection and enhance efficient transfer of the waste, but, the idea behind the concept appears to face defeat as residents have turned the bins into permanent receptacles for waste generated in their homes.

The garbage deposited in the bins is also not collected on time causing bad odour.

A resident at Tema Community One, Mr. Isaac Baidoo, in an interview with a Daily Graphic expressed fear of the possible outbreak of an epidemic, following the poor sanitation in the community.

He said Community One, which is home to the biggest market in the metropolis needed to be re-zoned to cater for a refuse dump.

He said the designated refuse transfer station inside the Tema Market, a place popularly called Kwasia Dwaso, had outlived its purpose leading to the  indiscriminate dumping of refuse and exposing the traders and residents to health hazards.

Deal with challenges

The Paramount Chief of Tema, Nii Adjei Krakue II, in a recent interaction with the Metropolitan Chief Executive, MCE Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, advised the MCE to immediately take steps to solve the numerous sanitation problems in the metropolis.

Nii Krakue wanted the assembly to ensure that refuse generated by the community was collected on time to preserve the image of the city.

Response

The MCE admitted that environmental sanitation was becoming a grave issue affecting virtually all aspects of life.

In his maiden sessional address at the second session of the first ordinary general meeting of the TMA, Mr Annang-La said health and sanitation were critical components of his “Restoration Agenda”.

He said the assembly would ensure efficiency in solid waste collection and work to attract investors to manage waste through recycling and power generation.

The MCE disclosed that a 10-member sanitation committee had been set up to address the environmental problems confronting various communities in the metropolis.

He said the assembly would implement measures to address environmental degradation and also work to remove all illegal metal containers, kiosks and stalls planted in unauthorised locations.

The MCE also revealed that the assembly had plans to reintroduce the sanitation inspectors’ concept, popularly known as the “Samansaman” to enforce the assembly’s by-laws on sanitation.

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