Twenty-one Lapaz residents fined GH¢15,120 for indiscriminate dumping of refuse
The Abeka District Court has fined 21 persons GH¢720 each, amounting to GH¢15,120, for indiscriminate dumping of refuse within the Accra metropolis.
Advertisement
In default, the court, presided over by Mrs Victoria Ghansah, ordered that the convicts serve six months in jail.
The 21, who are residents of Abeka-Lapaz and its environs in Accra, were charged with dumping refuse in unauthorised areas contrary to section 56(a) and (b) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).
Giving her judgement, Mrs Ghansah cautioned the public to desist from flouting the sanitation laws, adding: “Disobeying such laws attract sanctions to serve as a deterrent.”
She also urged the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to register residents who were yet to be captured on the polluter-pay policy.
AMA
The Sub Metro Director for Okaikoi North, Mr Angel Ketadjo, stated that some unscrupulous persons had been dumping refuse on the streets of Lapaz along the N1 Highway at night, making the road unsightly.
Due to that, the sub-metro formed a 20-member task force, including police officers, to curb the menace which he said could lead to an outbreak of cholera and other water and airborne diseases.
“The offenders were caught dumping rubbish at Lapaz on the N1 highway, while others were also caught at Lapaz new market road,” he said.
Arrests
Mr Ketadjo said on the day of the operation, the task force was divided into three groups, which facilitated the arrest of the offenders at different locations in and around Lapaz between midnight and 6 a.m.
He explained that the 21 offenders were sent to the Tesano Police Station and later to the Abeka Magistrate Motor and Sanitation Court of the AMA.
He stressed that the exercise, which would continue for a few months, was to curb illegal disposal of waste in the sub metro and also compel attitudinal change.
“Areas the task force will focus on are the ceremonial roads in Achimota, Tesano, Abeka and its immediate environs,” he added.