Accra Mayor Blames Sweepers For Accra's Sanitation Challenges

The Mayor of Accra has suggested that the governance module of sweepers of the streets is to blame for the dirt on the city's streets.

According to Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the system where private companies in collaboration with the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) control the payment of the labourers is ineffective.

Speaking Monday at the Ghana Sanitation Forum organised by IMANI Africa, Mr. Adjei-Sowah suggested that, giving the power to District Assemblies to man these labourers will boost the efficiency.

“The better arrangement is to give the money to the District Assemblies so that they can pay them and control them and then they can be accountable to the issues,” he said.

The Accra Mayor stressed that the filth on the streets of the city cannot be laid at his doorsteps because his office does not control the people in charge of cleaning the streets.

“I don’t control the YEA…if I am the one who pays them I will dictate to them,” Mr Adjei-Sowah told the gathering.

He also stated that a breakdown of financial agreements between the government and the sanitation service providers may have caused the labourers to abandon their posts.

Manasseh Azure
Joy News’ investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni who also spoke at the forum stated that an investigative piece by Joy News revealed that the paltry GH¢100 paid to the labourers was not enough.

Manasseh Azure Awuni
He explained that the workers told him during an interaction that their colleagues were not enthused with the amount being paid them hence their decision to stay off the streets.

He suggested that the way forward was to take the labourers from the private companies and put them under the management of the District Assemblies.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that his government is working to solve the issue of sanitation in the country.

“...apart from the efforts being made to resolve the legacy of debt in the sector, the government will spend 200 million [cedis] to address the issue of sanitation”, he stated during the State Of the Nation Address in February 2018.

He has also pledged t make Accra the cleanest city in Africa at the expiration of his mandate.