‘I can’t be blamed for poor sanitation in Sekondi-Takoradi’ — Mayor

The Mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, Frederick Faidoo, has rejected claims that he is responsible for the worsening sanitation situation in the metropolis, insisting that the problem cannot be attributed to a single individual.

His comments follow recent concerns raised by the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, who expressed dissatisfaction with the level of filth in parts of the Twin-City and suggested that the municipal leadership had not been effective in managing sanitation.

The Minister subsequently directed the Mayor and the Metropolitan Assembly to take immediate steps to address the situation.

Responding at a press conference in Sekondi, Mr. Faidoo said while sanitation challenges persist, they are partly driven by the behaviour of some residents and cannot be solely blamed on the Assembly leadership.

He explained that early morning inspections often reveal waste dumped at unauthorized locations, a practice he attributed to some individuals in the community.

“When you drive around town early in the morning, you will find sacks full of waste that have been put at some vantage points by some junkies,” he said.

He announced that the Assembly has established a taskforce to clamp down on offenders, with personnel stationed at strategic locations to arrest individuals caught dumping waste indiscriminately, particularly in central areas.

Mr. Faidoo further indicated that members of the taskforce would receive a portion of fines imposed on offenders as an incentive to improve enforcement.

He also urged residents to adopt waste segregation practices, separating plastics, paper, and other waste materials to facilitate easier collection and disposal.

According to him, only about 10 percent of the District Assembly Common Fund is allocated to sanitation management, noting that the situation is further complicated by the cost of operating an engineered landfill site within the metropolis.

“This is in addition to waste collection. Managing the landfill site is very expensive,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Head of Waste Management at the Assembly, Edwin Bonsu, disclosed that a formal petition outlining the sanitation challenges facing the metropolis has been submitted to the Minister for Local Government, indicating that the ministry is fully aware of the situation.

He assured that efforts are ongoing to address the challenges and improve waste management in the area.