Accra: Shops to be closed down ahead Homowo clean-up exercise on July 2

King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, has declared that all stores must stay closed on the day of the Homowo Clean-up operation.

“We anticipate that on the day of the exercise, every store and establishment in the assigned region will close. At the initiative’s introduction on Friday, June 21, 2024, at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) grounds, Ga Mantse added, “We also encourage leaders of diverse groups and associations to participate fully.”

On July 2, the cleanup effort is anticipated to begin.

The one-month initiative, “Let’s Keep Accra Clean,” intends to enhance environmental cleanliness, encourage sound waste management techniques, and foster a sense of collective duty and ownership for environmental stewardship.

The Greater Accra Region’s 25 local government bodies will participate in the exercise, which is a partnership between the Ga Traditional Council (GTC) and other governmental organisations.

In order to ensure compliance with waste management legislation, it will entail home registration for organised garbage collection services, waste management education, and bylaw enforcement.

The Ga Mantse emphasised that environmental cleanliness affects everyone, regardless of political allegiance, and cautioned against politicising the practice.

In addition to demanding that everyone completely abide by the city’s sanitation rules and clean their frontages, gutters, and properties, he also demanded that communal labour be brought back and that public sanitation education be increased.

A special task force will be established to apprehend violators and guarantee that they face the full weight of the law, he added in a severe warning to anyone who defies the cleanliness ordinances.

In addition, he urged the assemblies to “take up their responsibilities by making refuse bins available and at vantage points.”

He revealed an interesting new element to the cleanup effort: sanitation competitions. Schools, towns, truck stops, and markets will compete for the top spot, with prizes up for grabs for the cleanest.

According to him, these prizes will inspire participants to go above and above, encouraging a culture of healthy rivalry and neighbourhood pride.

In light of this, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II used the occasion to mobilise corporate institutions in the nation’s capital to adopt eco-friendly policies and sustainable practices that put the health of the environment first.

Collaborating government ministries demonstrated their commitment to a cleaner, greener Accra by pledging their resources and skills to ensure the initiative’s success.

Elizabeth K.T. Sackey, the mayor of Accra, bemoaned the city’s enduringly unhygienic circumstances and demanded improvement.

The Ga Mantse’s involvement was commended, and she underlined the need of a clean environment for safety and security. She said, “His Majesty’s participation underscores the gravity of this issue and the collective responsibility we must embrace to create a cleaner, healthier Accra for all.”

In the pursuit of a cleaner, greener, and healthier Accra, she pledged that the AMA will stop at nothing to make sure the cleanup operation was a huge success.

The leadership of the Ga Mantse was commended by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), who also acknowledged the Mantse’s significant contributions to Accra’s cleanliness.

“More than just a celebration, the Homowo festival is a poignant reflection of our cultural heritage, deeply rooted in the values of cleanliness and community pride,” the speaker noted.

The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Lydia Seyram Alhassan, stated that her ministry was prepared for the cleanup operation and has all the necessary tools.

She unveiled a formidable arsenal of tools, comprising more than thirty tricycles, thousands of Wellington boots, fifteen thousand security guards, a specialised task force, and environmental health officers assigned to enforce cleanliness by-laws.

She called on all Accra residents to band together and take a proactive part in ensuring the campaign’s overwhelming success.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, thanked the Ga Traditional Council (GTC) for bringing back the “Keep Accra Clean” programme and praised the work of his predecessor.

The first part of the exercise, he said, is scheduled to begin in the Accra metropolitan region on July 2. The programme would be conducted in stages.