ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SANITATION SUBCOMMITTEE EMBARKS ON FIELD TRIPS

The team, ably led by Hon Charles Ashie Kotey, the chair of the Subcommittee who also doubles as the Assemblyman for Ablezaa Electoral Area, with the total support of the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon Israel Adjetey Otchwenmah visited container sites and toilet facilities in the following areas on Friday, June 27:
* Zongo – Estate South Electoral Area
* Sea Lady – Tsuibleoo Central Electoral Area
* Gonno Cluster of Schools – Tsuibleoo Central Electoral Area
* LekMA Hospital – Aborlebu Electoral Area
* Lascala – Ashitey Akomfra Electoral Area
* Adjeley Lanmor – Akro West Electoral Area
* Gbuglah – Akro West Electoral Area
* Bukoenshi – Akro West Electoral Area
* Mangoase – Akro East Electoral Area
* Aduemli – Akro West Electoral Area
Mr. Yaw Adusei Boateng, Municipal Cleaning Officer in charge of Waste Management, explained that some of the facilities are privately owned whereas others are under the Build Operate and Tranfer (BOT) agreement with the Assembly and the rest under the Renovate, Operate and Transfer (ROT).
The general observations made by the Committee was that most of the toilet facilities were in deplorable state, some posing danger to users and also being mismanaged by the operators resulting in unsanitary conditions in and around the facilities.
Additionally, there was lack or inadequate water supply rendering some of the facilities unusable and some locked up.
Again, almost all the containers at the container sites were worn out and full, leading to spillage, as such residents resorted the keeping waste in sacks.
Hon Israel Adjetey Otchwenmah, disclosed that his support for such visits is in line with the President’s sanitation drive aimed at ensuring that cleanliness becomes a key performance indicator for Metropolitan, Municipal And District Chief Executives (MMDCEs). He therefore cannot sit and watch as representative of the President, but rather ensure that the goal is achieved. He advised the residents especially, the youth to avoid indiscriminate defecation along the shores of the sea.
He promised to ensure that measures are put in place to convert the vast area at Salem which has been turned into dump site to a washing bay to serve as a source of employment for the youth.