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| A section of residents of Community One in the clean-up exercise |
The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has embarked on a three-week clean-up exercise to help rid the metropolis of filth.The clean-up exercise, which is in response to the sanitation challenges facing the metropolis, is being carried out in phases.
During the first phase, the municipal chief executive (MCE) and staff of the TMA, as well as assembly members and residents came out to sweep public places and clear drains.
The weekly clean-up campaign lined up by the assembly began with the Tema East Constituency on August 12, this year. Last Saturday, it was extended to the Tema West Constituency and is expected to end at the Tema Central Constituency this weekend.
Poor sanitation
The MCE of Tema, Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, who expressed concern about the deteriorating sanitation situation in the metropolis, disclosed that the assembly would deploy sanitation officers, popularly known as "samasama", to arrest residents who broke sanitation bye-laws.
He was optimistic that the measures would go a long way to halt indiscriminate littering in Tema.
“We are not going to relent in this exercise, and will arrest and prosecute sanitation offenders. We shall strictly go by the sanitation bye-laws without fear or favour,” he told journalists after touring the city to monitor the clean-up exercise.
The mayor, together with his management staff, participated in the exercise in the various communities such as Manhean, Bankuman, Community 1 (Central Business District) and the Community 1 Market.
The team also toured Communities 2, 3 and 5, as well as Sakumono, Baatsona Market, Klagon and Adjei Kojo communities where the assembly members mobilised residents to take part in the clean-up exercise.
Squatters
At Community 5 and Church Village, the MCE expressed concern about illegal structures at the banks of the Sakumono Lagoon which further exposed the inhabitants to flooding and gave the squatters an ultimatum to vacate the place, failing which the assembly would move in to demolish the structures.
The Assembly Member for the Community Five Railway Electoral Area, Mr Patrick Lawerh, conceded that the occupants were living there illegally, adding that several efforts to evict them had proved unsuccessful.
He, however, expressed optimism that under the Tema Restoration Agenda being pursued by the assembly, a solution would soon be found and the squatters relocated to a more convenient place.
Writer's email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh
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