Sanitation offenders fined GHC 2,400

The La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly Sanitation Unit has sued Madam Hawa Mohammed (62), whose tenants dumped solid waste material into a gutter in front of their house at the Libya Quarters, a suburb of Madina Zongo.

The two women who were found dumping waste material from four fertilizer sacks, have absconded leaving the landlady to face the sanitation charges.

The Madina Magistrate Court II on Thursday, presided over by His Worship Richard Delali Anku, fined the landlady GHC 2,400 or would in default face a prison term of 12 months to serve as a deterrent to others.

The Judge added that her fine was 200 penalty units culled from the Public Health Act 2012 of Section 56 sub-sections (a-b) of Act 851.

Madam Hawa Mohammed who pleaded guilty with explanation was slapped with the above fines.

The La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly (LaNMMA) Sanitation Prosecuting Officer Mr Lambert Kwara said on June 3 2019, the two ladies, tenants of the landlady were captured on a video dumping refuse from sacks in the neighbourhood on a rainy day.

It got to the attention of the LaNMMA Sanitation Unit and on the 5th of June, the officials traced the house and conducted inspection and found that the occupants had not registered for solid waste collection.

Refuse was also found stored in sacks decomposing and creating a public health hazard in the community.

On the basis of the above, summon was served to her to appear before court.

In an interview with GNA, the Municipal Environmental Health Officer (MEHO), Mr. Joseph Quacoe said the enforcement of sanitation laws was ongoing within the Municipality.

He said Landlords who had not registered are issued with notices to register with the accredited Waste Contractors so that they could have their Waste lifted to the final disposal sites to avoid illegal dumping during rains.

He emphasized that the Assembly would sanction Contractors who failed to perform at their respective zones.

Mr Quacoe said that sanitation was a shared responsibility and there was the need to change attitudes.

He added that persons found dumping in the corridors of the highway would be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

That is the only way the President’s vision of making Ghana clean can become a reality.