The four-hour exercise which started at about 8am and led by Municipal Environmental Health and Sanitation officer, Mr Randolph Benjamin Morkeh saw the team which was joined by staff of Zoomlion, traders and drivers desilt chocked gutters and clear open spaces engulfed by weeds.

They also swept the pavement littered with empty sachet water bags.

Speaking shortly after the exercise, Mr Morkeh said the programme, which was in line with the OCYF meant to ensure areas in and around the municipality were well cleaned and tidy for the health benefit of the residents.

“The Ofankor barrier area is always flooded during heavy down pour leading to vehicles and houses submerged thus causing a huge traffic jam. That is why we have come to sweep and desilt the choked gutters so that when it rains the water would flow freely,” he said.

Mr Morkeh further advised residents in the municipality to stop the indiscriminate dumping of rubbish in gutters because those rubbish return to the gutters to choke them to cause flooding.

He further cautioned against the use of unregistered waste collectors who were mostly responsible for dumping waste at unauthorised places.

“We must not pay just anybody to collect our rubbish. Such people may dump them at the wrong place. Try and pay well trusted and registered collectors to handle the rubbish in your homes and surroundings,” Mr Morkeh said.

The Assembly Member for Ofankor South electoral area and Committee Chairman for Environmental and Sanitation at the Assembly, Mr Dennis Daniel Quarshie warned the people to desist from the act that litters the environment.

“People think there are no laws concerning polluting the environment. There are laws, so everyone must be on guard because if you are caught, you would have to face the law, pay a fine and face other charges,” he said.