Accra Mayor Inaugurates Sanitation Implementation Committees

Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije

Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije



The Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, has inaugurated a seven-member Committee each for the 78 electoral areas within the Greater Accra Region.

The Sanitation Standards Implementation Committees (SSIC) are tasked with the responsibilities of monitoring the sanitary conditions in the various communities and taking appropriate action to ensure clean environment.

Inaugurating the Committees, the Mayor, Dr. Okoe Vanderpuije indicated that sanitation issues are vital and interregnal part of the functions of every Assembly and for that matter the A.M.A has over the period, been able to control the many challenges it is faced with as far as sanitation is concern.

According to the Mayor, the issues confronting the Assembly are not things that cannot be handled, expressing the hope that with the availability of resources, equipments and support ,the Assembly can surmount any obstacle that comes its way.

He also indicated that, the issue of dumping sites have become a major problem that the assembly had to contend with since there are no alternative sites for refuse dump. But according to him Accra, has become cleaner since the Assembly took it upon itself to clean Agbogbloshie and other parts of the city of filth.

He also revealed that an alternative dumping site has been created in Ga West and South respectively which will enable the assembly and waste management contractors to properly dispose off refuse collected.

“AMA is up to the task, we now have alternative site to dump our refuse and for that matter, we have no excuse at all,” he said.

Dr. Okoe Vanderpuije also pointed out that the Assembly will intensify its house to house refuse collection, begin distributing refuse bins to each household, and embark on education drive to sensitize people about the new standards.

Touching on the Polluter Pay System, the Mayor noted that the system allows the collaborative efforts in fighting filth and a shared responsibility of ensuring a clean environment.

He mentioned that the idea of setting up the SSIC was also to step up the fight against Cholera which has taken over the lives of some people within these few months.

The Mayor said, although much has been done to ensure that Accra is neat, the successes chalked cannot be emphasized if the drains continue to choke and the surroundings are unclean.

He therefore charged the Committee members to ensure they live up to expectation, entreating them to see it as a “responsibility that cannot be taken for granted.”

“I entreat you to go out and rise to the task, don’t fail to prosecute recalcitrant residents who fail to comply with the new standards,” he stressed.

The Mayor also called on NADMO officials, Assemblymen and Public Health Officers on the committees to ensure routine and strong education drive to keep people conscious of the roles of the Assembly and the community in tackling filth and ensuring a clean Ghana.

On his part, the Director for Public Health at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Dr Simpson Boateng averred that the setting up of the committee is the beginning of a new era and innovation where the challenges confronting the city as far as refuse heaps, insanitary condition and its attendance diseases are concern.

Dr Boateng also bemoaned the insanitary situation in Accra, pointing out that the devastating effects have caused the lives of many people.

“The Committee must be the eye and ear of the Assembly, fishing out for such situations, report back for steps to be taken to save the situation,” he said.

The Presiding Member of the A.M.A Mr Addo Biney also charged the committee members to work hard to sustain the feats the Assembly made in fighting filth.

Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije charged them to live up to expectations
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