The Central Business District (CBD) of Takoradi, Western Regional Capital and Ghana’s third largest City has been engulfed in filth for a number of years while City Authorities have no clue on how to curtail the situation.
Drains are choked with filth while the streets are decorated with refuse with some flying in the air whenever the wind blows, even with the mildest one.
Not only are the gutters choked, they are breeding spaces for reptiles and rats while the gutters, some partially covered, emit strong stench that puts commuters in an uncomfortable situation.
The choked gutters also render the areas prone to perennial floods that sometimes run into people’s homes, offices and shops destroying properties worth sums of money.
Spice News can confidently say that City Authorities have not been serious at curbing the situation, especially in recent times when we have been battling the coronavirus pandemic.
However, we may spare them a bit following the demise of the former Mayor, Mr Anthony K.K. Sam and the newly appointed Mayor who took office about a month ago.
First Saturday of every month has been earmarked as National Sanitation Day (NSD) across Ghana.
First declared on November 1, 2014 by the Government of Ghana in response to the 2014 Ghanaian cholera outbreak, the day is a voluntary clean-up exercise for all Ghanaian residents in an effort to reduce unsanitary conditions that breed diseases and cause injuries.
The National Sanitation Day is an initiative by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD).
At a recent clean-up exercise embarked on by the Assembly where these pictures were taken, there was no presence of the City Authorities, hence residents did their bit leaving most of the drains undesilted.
The City Authorities must be up and doing in their commitment to provide dust bins, refuse containers for lifting, community dumping sites and basic logistics like shovels, wheelbarrows, rakes, wellington boots, hand gloves and roller trucks among others.
They must make sure they lead in the clean-up exercises so as to garner the interest of the public and clear all heaps taken from the gutters and the streets on time to prevent them from going back into the gutters.
Residents must also rekindle the communal spirit and embark on regular clean-up exercises in their communities since keeping the environment clean would prevent the outbreak of communicable diseases.
There should be all inclusive massive clean-up exercise in the areas where participants can sweep the streets, clear choked gutters and weed the surroundings.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
