Sub-Metros must intensify sanitation education - Minister

Accra, Jan 10, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has tasked the Sub-Metropolitan District Councils of Accra Metropolitan Assembly, to intensify education on the need to maintain a clean environment to transform the lives of residents by the end of January.

This education, he said, must be undertaken with the collaboration of key stakeholders such as opinion leaders, Assembly and Unit Committee Members as well as MPs.

A statement signed by Frank Asante, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, said the Minister made the call at a meeting with the Directors and Environmental Officers of the 13 Sub-Metros to discuss issues relating to sanitation and Waste Management in the metropolis. The Minister said metropolis faced problems in the areas of waste management from the rural-urban drift, the number of people entering the city and the filth they generate.

This according to Mr Adjei-Darko had negated the tremendous efforts being made by the Metropolitan Assembly to solve the problems of sanitation, adding, however, that officials of sub-metros had to adopt proactive strategy to contain the situation.

The Minister gave the assurance that the Ministry would provide the necessary logistics and other support to the metros to discharge their activities effectively.

He announced that the Ministry would soon take delivery of 1,000 refuse containers to be distributed to the 110 District Assemblies and urged the Sub-Metros to engage the services of more Sanitary Inspectors. Mr Joseph Asamoah Gyamfi, Project Co-ordinator of the Community Waste Scavenging Scheme, said the scheme involved household collection of refuse at a fee of 500 cedis per head by the youth in low-income residential areas.

He said the scheme, which would be implemented in concert with Sanitary Inspectors of the Sub-Metro District Councils, Assembly and Unit Committee Members was aimed at ensuring that residents did not dump refuse at unauthorized places.

Mr Solomon Offei Darko, Metropolitan Chief Executive of AMA said the scheme was in line with the Assembly's policy of creating employment for the youth, especially those in low income communities. He said door-to-door collection with contractors in high-income communities would continue, adding that, the Assembly had started registering Shop-Owners in the Central Business Area to implement the door-to-door collection.

Mr Offei Darko appealed to staff of the Sub-Metropolitan District Councils, especially the Directors to ensure the success of the scheme.