Sixteen individuals in Kumasi have been arrested and put before court by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for violating environmental safety bye-laws.
The arrest and prosecution follow a recent enforcement sweep in renewed efforts by the assembly to tackle rampant insanitary conditions and activities in the Ashanti Regional capital.
Head of the Environmental Health Unit at the KMA, Kwaku Poku, speaking to Luv FM, disclosed that the offenders, who are also residents in the central business district, were found guilty of various sanitation violations.
Kumasi generates approximately 2,000 tons of solid waste daily, much of which ends up in drains and open spaces due to inadequate disposal practices.
The registered violations included allowing household filth to flow into public drains, keeping weedy and unkempt environments, and indiscriminate dumping of waste.
Kwaku Poku disclosed that the offenders have been arraigned before court and fined accordingly.
“We have arrested 16 people who flouted environmental safety bye-laws,” he stated. “We are rightly enforcing the laws, arresting those who have flouted various environmental and sanitation regulations. Some had homes in the central business district and allowed filth to flow into public drains, while others dumped waste indiscriminately.
“They were arraigned before court for failing to make an appearance. In terms of enforcement, I believe we have made strides towards it. I assumed my role barely three months ago, and I am prepared to tackle the filth in the city,” said Mr. Poku.
The enforcement sweep in Kumasi also targeted food production sites with poor hygiene standards, including the Kumasi Abattoir.
A taskforce from the KMA and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) inspected a viral ice kenkey factory and shut down the facility due to unsanitary conditions.
Kwaku Poku is counting on a collaborative effort to effectively combat the sanitation menace in Kumasi.
“We are in talks with Kumasi Abattoir to arrest stray cattle on our streets. I led the team of KMA and FDA staff to the ice kenkey factory at Adehy3 Market and asked them to cease operations. We have closed the facility.
“We have a weak supervision regime when it comes to policing food-producing facilities and markets. We are collaborating with the FDA to strategize on how to routinely monitor our markets and rid them of filth,” he said.
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