Effective Waste Management Promotes National Development - Accra Mayor

The Mayor of Accra, Mr Stantley Adjiri Blankson, has said that the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was determined to ensure good waste management in the Accra Metropolis. “Sanitation and waste management play an important role in good governance, promotion of tourism and foreign investment,” he noted.

The Mayor made this known when he met the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology in Accra yesterday. The meeting was to brief the Parliamentarians on the current waste management situation in the Accra Metropolis.

Mr Adjiri Blankson said the Assembly had as part of its efforts to ensure good sanitation, which created, a dedicated account into which 15% of it's internally- generated revenue on property rates, business operating permit and fees from parks and markets were paid.He said the money from the account would be used to support waste management in the metropolis.

According to him, the Assembly had made its first payment of GH�192,377.54 to contractors working with the Assembly, saying� in order to �improve sanitation in the City, the Assembly had re-zoned Accra and the contractors were to be responsible for the cleanliness of the dump or container sites in their respective zones. He added that contractors were also to get workers who would collect dumping fees where necessary and would also be closely ��monitored to ensure they work effectively.

He disclosed that 39 identified heaps posed as threats have been cleared and a mopping up exercise was on-going to prevent their re –occurrence.

He said the Sub-Metro Assemblies have also been asked to intensify their work along the streets and pavements in order to keep the city clean.

Mr Blankson said the Assembly had plans of developing a new dumping site for easy disposal of garbage, adding that it was important for residents to pay for the waste they generate in order to ensure easy management of waste.

The Mayor mentioned that waste management should not only be the responsibiliy of the District Assemblies but central government as well, since the effects of poor waste management can be devastating. He asked central government to “support District Assemblies with adequate funds to tackle sanitation and waste management as a preventive measure in the overall goal of ensuring good health and longevity for our people.”