The AMA said the exercise would continue until the city was rid of filth to portray Accra as a clean city.

The exercise was also to commemorate the 125th anniversary celebration of the AMA.

Exercise

Choked drains and gutters were desilted, while areas overgrown with weeds were cleared.

Streets and pavements were also swept.

Debris gathered during the exercise were collected and deposited into waste tricycles, popularly called ‘Borla taxi’, for proper disposal.

The exercise which lasted for about four hours was conducted concurrently in the three sub-metros of the assembly (Okaikwei South, Ashiedu Keteke and Ablekuma South.)

Areas covered included the Ga Traditional Council (GTC) stretch of the Palace street; Reverend Thomas Clegg Memorial Methodist Church and the Department of Social Welfare stretch of the Nii Asere Ayite Road, all under the Okaikwei South sub-metro.

Other areas were the vicinity of the Fire Academy and Training School, Bodey (Cleland road) through to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (John Evans Atta Mills High Street); Odorkor station (Asafoatse Nettey road) to the Bukom area; Accra General Post Office and its environs and the Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital (Derby Avenue), all in the

Ashiedu Keteke sub-metro, were equally cleaned.

In the Ablekuma South sub-metro, areas like Chorkor ( old Winneba road); Korle Bu Traffic light to Mamprobi Post Office (Guggisberg Avenue) were swept. 

Summoned

At the Ablekuma South sub-metro, the District Environmental Health Officer, George Lawson, told the Daily Graphic that about ten shop operators were summoned for not complying with the AMA's communal labour Bye-law of 2017 in the area.

He explained that the bye-law debarred people from operating their shops during clean-up campaigns organised by the AMA. He said the perpetrators would be arraigned before court.

The Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth K.T. Sackey, for her part, however, commended residents who took part in the exercise in the three sub-metros.

She said in line with the GTC’s amended directive on closure of all shops and markets on Saturday, October 28, 2023, the assembly would also conduct a deratting exercise in four markets-(31st Makola, Makola No:2,  Agbogbloshie and London markets.)

Ms Sackey stressed the need for residents to keep the city clean before and after the burial of the late Ga Manye, saying the ultimate aim was to portray Accra as one of the cleanest cities in Africa and the World.

The mayor further warned that those caught flouting any of the bye-laws, especially on sanitation, including keeping the surroundings of their shops clean, would attract spot fines and the culprits made to clean their environment.

Background

The AMA was established in 1898 and has evolved over the years to become the oldest, modern and vibrant area.