The coastal town of Osu Alata, renowned for its scenic beauty, is grappling with a growing problem of mounting waste.
The issue which has marred the once-pristine landscape and threatens the health of its residents and tourists, is prompting the community to call for action.
The pile of rubbish, mostly plastic, has been emitting a stench in the community for months.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews‘ Maame Esi Nyamekye, a resident lamented the absence of a garbage bin, which was removed by the Assembly.
He said, “This is how they take care of the rubbish. They normally dump it here when the caretaker is not around. Those around sneak and dump the rubbish here. They are using this Castle (Christiansburg Castle, aka Osu Castle) as a tourist centre, and when visitors see this rubbish around, it’s not good for the Castle.”
According to the JoyNews report, the gutters are also choked with plastic waste and layers of silt.
A teenager who used to clean the gutters has abandoned the task due to a lack of payment for his services.
He said, “We empty the gutters here. We were brought from Labadi to Osu. However, we are not paid well, so we decided not to work today. But our leaders have spoken to us, so we will start soon.”
Another resident, Mohammed Ali, who recently moved into the neighbourhood from Cameroon, expressed anger about the unhygienic conditions of the community.
He believes that authorities living in government quarters in Osu Alata should take responsibility for addressing the problem.
“I think these people should be more responsible. They vote for them; these people have to go and vote for representatives in parliament. These people should be more responsible,” he said.
A community leader, Nii Addo Quaynor, acknowledged the importance of addressing the filth challenge in the community.
He outlined measures put in place to tackle the problem and according to him, there will be groups assigned to clean every electoral area.
“They will be provided with tools, and some small incentives will be given so that the environment will be clean,” he stated.
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