The Adentan Municipal Assembly has raised GH¢39,000 from penalties imposed on traders whose goods were confiscated during the recent two-day national sanitation and clean-up exercise, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ella Esinam Christine Nongo has disclosed.
The nationwide clean-up exercise formed part of the government’s broader efforts to improve environmental sanitation following the devastating floods of June 29.
The initiative also sought to promote a culture of shared responsibility among citizens, businesses and institutions in protecting the environment and preventing future flooding.
Addressing the media, Madam Nongo explained that the confiscated items belonged to traders who ignored the assembly’s directive to close their shops and participate in the clean-up exercise ordered by President John Dramani Mahama.
She noted that the June 29 downpour deposited large amounts of silt and debris into drains and waterways, making it imperative for residents to join efforts to restore sanitation and improve drainage across the municipality.
According to the MCE, all businesses were instructed to suspend operations during the exercise to enable traders to take part.However, some traders defied the directive and continued trading.
“As an assembly, we had to step in and confiscate some of the items they had displayed for sale because they failed to comply with the directive,” she stated.
Madam Nongo disclosed that although the assembly initially considered donating the confiscated items to an orphanage, it later decided to return the goods to their owners after they paid the prescribed penalties.
She revealed that the exercise generated GH¢39,000, which will be used to improve road infrastructure within the municipality.
According to her, the funds will be invested in the purchase of boulders and laterite to rehabilitate roads and make them safer and more accessible for motorists and pedestrians.
The MCE stressed that the enforcement exercise was not intended to punish traders but to ensure compliance with the sanitation campaign and encourage collective responsibility in keeping the municipality clean.
Madam Nongo also highlighted Adentan’s impressive sanitation record, noting that the municipality topped the District Sanitation League Table in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
She said the assembly is determined to maintain that achievement by intensifying sanitation initiatives across the municipality.
To sustain the momentum, she announced that the assembly would organise major clean-up exercises every quarter involving assembly staff, environmental health officers, cleaners, task force personnel and city guards.
She expressed confidence that the quarterly exercises would help improve environmental sanitation, reduce flooding risks and strengthen public participation in maintaining a cleaner and healthier municipality.
Madam Nongo urged residents, traders and business owners to cooperate with the assembly during future sanitation campaigns, emphasising that environmental cleanliness is a shared responsibility that requires the commitment of every member of the community.
By 1960news.com
