There was a near clash between the police and traders at Circle in Accra yesterday, during the enforcement of sanitation by-laws under Government’s “Operation Clean Your Frontage.
Traders at “Maame Dokuno – VVIP” enclave protested their eviction by the “Operation Clean Your Frontage,” campaign led by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, bringing the exercise to a halt temporarily.
A bulldozer, deployed to demolish some illegal structures had its windscreen smashed, compelling the driver to retreat.
The traders, mainly young men, looking visibly agitated, blocked the entrance to the area with wooden kiosks and anything they could lay their hands on to prevent access.
They chanted war songs and hooted at the police and other members of the campaign team, with some heard saying: “We have families just like you; we cannot all work in offices.”
The Police, fired a warning shot to disperse the protesting youth, but they charged on, making the Police look on and waited for the next line of action
The Government last year launched the “Operation Clean Your Frontage” in Accra towards making the national capital the cleanest city in Africa.
Over 3,500 people have been deployed to implement sanitation by-laws under the initiative.
The policy by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council seeks to, among other objectives, make it obligatory for all individuals and corporate entities to be responsible for the cleaning and greening of their immediate surroundings.
The necessary by-laws have been passed and gazetted by the 29 Assemblies in the Region to enable the lawful implementation of the initiative.
All Assemblies in the Region are undertaking the exercise. At 0600 hours, participants of the campaign converged at Independence Square to be deployed in busses to the various districts.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has served notice that the Assembly will not shield anyone caught violating the Sanitation bye-laws.
Addressing members of the Ga Traditional Council and stakeholders, the Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth Naa Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey noted with concern, instances when many residents of Accra continue to flout the bye-laws with impunity because some officials of the AMA and community come to their rescue.
According to her, those days are now a thing of the past.
The Accra Mayor said the AMA officers have been cautioned against assisting offenders to escape justice.
She spoke at the launch of the Assembly’s Operation Clean Your Frontage policy.
Spokesperson for the Traditional Council, Abola Mantse, Nii Ahene Nunoo III pledged the support of the traditional rulers to realize the dream of Making Accra clean.
Source: Mypublisher24.com
