The New Juaben South Municipal Assembly in Eastern Region has intensified the enforcement of sanitation regulations, with 18 sanitation-related cases currently before the courts despite significant staffing challenges.
Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Emmanuel Ayetei Tetteh, disclosed that several offenders have already been successfully prosecuted, while others are awaiting the outcome of ongoing court proceedings.
Speaking to the media during the National Sanitation Day clean-up exercise and tree planting in Koforidua, supported by members of the National Cadet Corps drawn from various Senior High Schools, the New Juaban South Municipal Environmental Health Officer Emmanuel Tetteh explained that the Assembly remains committed to enforcing sanitation bylaws against residents who refuse to comply.
He however said the municipality’s enforcement efforts are constrained by inadequate personnel with only 17 environmental officers serving a population of nearly 125,000.
“It’s good to enforce regulations but as you know as I speak to you we have a very big deficit in terms of staff who even do the enforcement.The whole of New Juaban South has 17 officers controlling a population of almost 125,000 and that is woefully inadequate. That is why we emphasised more on education and behavioural change” He lamented.
He added “We’ve taken several people to court within this first quarter.We have about 18 cases in court. Some people have been prosecuted. We’ve gotten some few successful prosecutions.Some of the cases are still pending”.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for New Durban South, Randford assured residents that the Assembly in collaboration with National Disaster Management Organisation and other agencies are taking proactive measures to prevent flooding during the rainy season.
He revealed that the cleanup exercise which are usually conducted monthly will now be organised bi-weekly until the rains subside to ensure drains remain free flowing and communities remain clean.
“We are not expecting any serious floods for now but we don’t have to sit down. We have to also put in measures so that in case it even happens the situation will not get out of hand. We are putting in measures to make sure even in case when this happens, everything is brought under control.
You know we’ve been doing clean up exercise every month but we’ve taken it upon ourselves that when we have to do it bi-weekly we are going to do that because it is raining. So we can even continue with the bi-weekly until the rain subsides and then we go back to the one month, one month.”
The MCE presented newly procured tools, equipment and logistics to boost the sanitation exercises in the municipality.
The National Sanitation Day exercise was conducted alongside a flower planting initiative along the principal streets of Koforidua, a beautification project spearheaded by the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey.
“We all know the importance of planting trees around and we have heard over and over that when the last tree dies, the last man dies, meaning trees are for life. We are here today. We have heard so many news about sanitation flooding at so many places and even in our region yet” said the Regional Minister.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
