His Royal Majesty the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has urged all shop owners in Accra to close up on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, to participate in the Homowo clean-Up exercise.
He stressed the dirty environment and subsequent health issues and warned that filth has no political boundaries.
The one-month clean-up campaign, themed “Let’s Keep Accra Clean,” aims to promote proper waste management, improve environmental cleanliness, and foster community ownership and responsibility towards environmental stewardship.
The homowo clean-up initiative, a collaboration between the Ga Traditional Council (GTC), government ministries, local authorities, traditional leaders, and waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited, will span all 25 local government authorities within the Greater Accra Region.
The exercise will include household registration for organized waste collection services, education on waste management techniques, and enforcement of bylaws to ensure compliance.
At the launch in Accra on Friday, June 21, 2024, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II emphasized the importance of adhering to sanitation bylaws, cleaning frontages, gutters, and premises, and reintroducing communal labour and public education on sanitation.
He warned against non-compliance, announcing that a special task force would be deployed to arrest and prosecute offenders.
He said, “We expect all shops and businesses in the designated area to close on the day of the exercise. We also urge leaders of various groups and associations to participate fully.”
“The Assemblies should also take up their responsibilities by making refuse bins available and at vantage points,” he urged.
The Ga Mantse also announced sanitation competitions among schools, communities, markets, and lorry stations, with awards for the cleanest, to encourage participation and community pride.