21 vendors are detained by AMA for selling on Agbogbloshie Market’s exposed drains.
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Twenty-one (21) vendors were detained by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) for violating the city’s sanitation and public health laws by setting up shop and selling their goods on open drains at the Agbogbloshie Market.
As part of the ongoing efforts to maintain cleanliness in the Agbogbloshie enclave after the National Sanitation Day exercise two weeks ago and the reintroduction of the Clean Ghana Campaign Train, a sustained citywide initiative to enforce hygiene and environmental health standards, the operation was conducted on Tuesday under the direction of Public Health Officers from the Assembly.
Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, the mayor of Accra, had visited the market before to the enforcement action and declared a two-week intensive cleaning and desilting operation to clear the drains and restore hygiene before more stringent enforcement.
Almost 80% of food vendors and handlers in Accra get their supplies from Agbogbloshie Market, making it one of the biggest and most important food supply hubs in the city, according to Madam Florence Kuukyi, Metro Director of Public Health, who spoke following the exercise.
She was worried that some vendors had exploited the market’s significance to engage in activities that were against cleanliness and public health standards, adding that the Assembly’s bylaws forbid dealing on roadways and along drains.
“What we continue to observe is worrying, people have abandoned their stalls and locked their shops, only to display goods along the streets, this behaviour causes traffic congestion, creates unsanitary conditions, and exposes food items to contamination,” she said.
The Public Health Director criticised the practice of certain traders who carelessly dispose of waste or shove trash down drains, claiming that this contributes to flooding during rainy seasons. She also warned that dust from moving vehicles frequently contains microorganisms that settle on exposed food items, potentially causing foodborne illnesses.
She emphasised that “Sanitation is a shared responsibility. It cannot be achieved by one person or one institution alone.”
She declared that the Clean Ghana Campaign Train would continue in all of the city’s sub-metros and described it as an ongoing, unannounced activity until all sanitation regulations are followed.
She cautioned, “You will never know when the campaign train will arrive, so it’s best to always keep your surroundings clean and operate according to the rules.”
She underlined that over the past few weeks, the Assembly’s Information Service Department (ISD) has adequately informed and raised awareness among traders about this effort and the importance of clearing the streets and drains.
The Director also disclosed that roadside vendors would be subject to enforcement in the future.
She explained that this action will assist restore order and safeguard public health, saying that “if there are no buyers on the streets, the sellers will have no choice but to return to their stalls.”
Noting that illicit trading near highways and drains might lead to accidents and injuries, she reminded traders that the Assembly’s enforcement efforts were intended to safeguard lives rather than to punish.
Madam Kuukyi urged traders and citizens to support the Assembly’s efforts to make Accra a cleaner, safer, and healthier city for all. She also declared that all food products seized during the operation would not be given back to offenders but would instead be donated to children’s shelters in the city.
A market vendor selling palm nuts related how she once walked on a tuber yam by mistake, causing a dispute. She praised the Assembly’s continuous effort to get officials to keep visiting to make sure people moved away from the roads and drains.
Later, she conveyed her appreciation for the team’s performance and praised their strategy, stating that their consistent presence would significantly increase market orderliness.
Source: newsthemegh.com
