This vision, is aimed at achieving the president’s declaration of Accra being the cleanest city in Africa by the end of his tenur.

Briefing the press at the AMA head office, the Metro Chief Executive, Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah revealed that this vision requires a serious change in policy, action plan, city cleaning approaches, enforcement mechanisms and attitudes.

He said being managers of the city, the AMA in support of the policy directives of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources assured the president that the vision would be realized and achieved within the time frame given and has as well accepted the challenge.

He said this vision can also be achieved if residents, visitors, religious bodies, businesses, development partners, charitable organizations and the public sector agencies operating in the city really commit to it.

“We will be tough on excessive generation and indiscriminate disposal of all types of waste thus solid, liquid, medical, hazardous emissions as well as land, water and atmospheric pollution. We will not renege on our efforts at stopping the disposal of dirty oil into the soil by automobile mechanics, incessant burning of e-waste on bare ground and disposal of untreated biomedical waste into the ground without treatment” he added.

Hon. Adjei Sowah further pointed out that, in the pursuit of this vision, emphasis would be on waste management, dignified disposal of waste, and enforcement of the AMA bye-Laws.

Waste management and reductio

The Metro Chief Executive mentioned that, the first step to ridding the city of filth, is to manage waste generation at the source. The vast majority of the city’s waste he said, comes from the type of materials and methods used in producing the products used or consumed, packaging and construction.

He said the assembly would work with relevant bodies and partners to reduce the use of non-combustible materials such as plastics iAMA/ESPA, private enterprises join forces towards "Cleanest City Initiative"n the design and manufacturing of products, carrier bags and packaging

Companies within the city must begin to rethink the way products are designed, manufactured and packaged, towards the need to reduce waste and use ingredients that are safety, reusable or returnable to the natural system, while importers are also being advised to do likewise.

With dignified disposal of waste, Hon. Adjei Sowah said, there is the need to openly condemn undignified garbage disposal including littering of streets, gutters and public places, open defecation, dumping of untreated effluent and industrial waste into the Odaw/Korle Lagoon and other water bodies.

He said there will be sustainable public education on acceptable cleanliness practices and will continue to work with the Assembly’s sanitation service providers, private sector partners, NGOs and the international partners to widen access to convenient, safe, sustainable and culturally dignified sanitation facilities and services.

“The Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s policy of Polluter-Pay System has it that, waste generators are responsible for the disposal of the waste they generate. Under this policy, the AMA’s area is currently divided into 15 service zones and outsourced to 11 private sanitation service providers which includes Metropolitan Waste and Allied Services, Liberty Waste Services, Tropical Waste Services, Jekora Ventures Limited, Meskworld Company Limited, Platinum Municipal Services, Yafuru Waste Services, J. Stanley-Owusu & Co. Ltd., Aryeetey Brothers Co. Ltd., Asadu Royal, Seed Limited and Zoomlion Domestic Services”. he outlined.

He said, there will be an intensified distribution of garbage bins in the City to ensure convenient and reliable household waste collection and dignified waste disposal, and the directing of all residents to register with the service providers assigned in their respective areas.

“We shall commission a new transfer station at Achimota to provide an additional site for trucks and tricycles to dump waste. This will reduce the distance for carting waste to the final disposal site at Nsuofa, near Nsawam in the Eastern Region. It is important to note that operating waste dumping sites without permit is illegal and there will be effective enforcement to end such practices. We wish to assure the general public that all unapproved refuse heaps anywhere in the city will be evacuated and closed down permanently” he pointed out.

Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah further stressed that dumping of garbage or items at unapproved sites or places will be met with prosecutions or large fines.

He said daily sanitary inspection in which environmental health inspectors conduct house-to house inspections of potential waste generation centers such as household, institutions, markets, medical facilities among others to check whether the laws on health and hygiene are adhered to will be reinvigorated and this would lead to offenders being prosecuted uncompromisingly, fined or slapped with jail terms.

He pointed out that, the enthusiasm with which the National Sanitation Day was instituted is waning and to ensure compliance, the AMA will pay attention to inspection and enforcement of its bye-Laws on every National Sanitation Day

In addition, he said, Accra must look attractive at all times to give residents and visitors a sense of pride adding that, beautiful Cities attract talents, investments and economic activities thereby increasing the City’s unique contribution to the nation’s GDP.

So, the Assembly will soon publish the Accra City Beautification Plan, which will outline action plans for promoting stunning architectural designs, urban landscaping, beautification of open spaces and tree planting activities among others.

Enforcement of Bye-Laws

Existing bye-Laws would be stringently enforced however, it had been noted that some of the bye-Laws would need revision to bring them in line with modern demands. In view of this, the Assembly had initiated a holistic review of the bye-Laws which contrary to the review, penal consequences for breaching the laws of the city would be heightened. Offenders will no longer be handled with ‘kid’s’ gloves.

With the revision of the existing bye-Laws, will be an ongoing public education to make the general public aware of the law.