Mayor rejects blame for Sekondi-Takoradi sanitation woes
By Juliet Aguiar DUGBARTEY, Sekondi
The Mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, Lawyer Fredrick Fautinus Faidoo, has rejected claims that he is solely responsible for the worsening sanitation situation in the metropolis
He insists that residents must also be held accountable for indiscriminate waste disposal which has contributed significantly to the problem.
His comments come after the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim expressed disappointment over the poor sanitation conditions in parts of the metropolis and directed the assembly to address the situation urgently.
Addressing a press conference in Sekondi, Lawyer Faidoo said sanitation management was a shared responsibility and could not be blamed entirely on the assembly or the mayor.
According to him, some residents continue to dump waste indiscriminately despite efforts by the assembly to improve sanitation.
“When you drive around town early in the morning, you will find sacks full of waste that have been left at various points by some individuals,” he said.
To address the problem, the Mayor announced the formation of a task force to monitor strategic locations and arrest persons caught dumping waste illegally, particularly within the central business district.
He disclosed that members of the task force would receive a portion of fines imposed on offenders as an incentive to enforce sanitation regulations effectively.
He also urged residents to embrace waste segregation by separating plastics, paper and other waste materials to facilitate recycling and improve waste management.
He noted that recyclable materials could be processed and reused, reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill sites.
The Mayor further revealed that only about 10 percent of the District Assemblies Common Fund is allocated to sanitation management, despite the significant financial burden associated with waste collection and landfill operations.
He explained that the metropolis operates an engineered landfill site, the maintenance of which comes at a substantial cost.
Meanwhile, Head of Waste Management at the assembly, Edwin Bonsu said the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) had already petitioned the minister on the challenges confronting the metropolis in managing sanitation.
He added that the minister is aware of the logistical and financial constraints facing the assembly in its efforts to improve sanitation and waste management in the area.
The post Mayor rejects blame for Sekondi-Takoradi sanitation woes appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.
Read Full Story
Advertise Here contact ads[@]ghheadlines.com