The request was made by the Municipal Chief Executive, Dr. Matthew Kofi Ayer, during a visit by Parliament's Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources as part of its nationwide oversight tour.

Dr. Ayer said the breakdown of the Assembly's only skip truck has badly affected waste collection and disposal services, making it harder to keep the municipality clean.

“I will not hesitate to demand the replacement of our broken-down truck because that is the engine of waste haulage,” the MCE said.

He explained that the Assembly has had to depend on private waste transport operators to move rubbish from collection points to disposal sites. According to him, this has increased costs and put extra strain on the Assembly's already limited resources.

Dr. Ayer acknowledged the support of waste management company Zoomlion Ghana Limited but stressed that the municipality urgently needs a working skip truck to improve sanitation services and deal with growing waste management concerns.

The parliamentary committee's visit was part of efforts to check on sanitation and water service delivery across the country and identify challenges facing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

The Committee Chairman, John Oti Bless, reaffirmed the government's commitment to improving sanitation nationwide, describing environmental cleanliness as a major priority. He also stressed the importance of accountability in the use of sanitation funds and announced plans for a nationwide public accountability exercise involving local assemblies.

The Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Jerry Kuma, said that although the Assembly receives sanitation funding through the District Assemblies Common Fund, the amount is not enough to meet the municipality's growing waste management needs.

He added that despite financial challenges, the Assembly has maintained most of its waste containers and hired additional sanitation workers to help improve environmental health conditions in the municipality.

Mr. Kuma also revealed plans to carry out extensive desilting of drains and gutters to help reduce flooding and improve sanitation in communities across the area.

Residents are hopeful that government support will lead to the replacement of the truck and help strengthen waste management efforts in the municipality.

The appeal draws attention to the wider sanitation challenges facing many local assemblies and highlights the need for adequate equipment and funding to keep communities clean and healthy.