Mr Alex Damtey, the Municipal Environmental Health Officer for Tarkwa Nsuaem, has said his office will collaborate with stakeholders to secure a permanent waste disposal site for residents in Simpa.
He indicated that currently, the community had no approved site for waste management, which was a major challenge to the Municipal Assembly.
According to Mr Damtey, “When you look around, you see people in Simpa dumping waste in their backyards. It is a major concern because it poses serious health threat to the people.”
The Municipal Environmental Health Officer, said this at the monthly clean-up exercise in Simpa, initiated by the government, to inspire residents to maintain a clean environment.
He said after the clean-up exercise, they would consult traditional leaders, unit committee members and assembly members to stop people from dumping indiscriminately in the community.
He emphasized that “This is not the first time we have receive reports on an unauthorized place located in between shops turned to a dumping site, the area has been cleared before.
“We even tried to stop the dumping, but it mostly happens at night, when there are no officers around. The situation is escalating, so we have mobilized equipment and will clear the site soon.”
Mr Damtey said after the evacuation, they would identify a temporary site to place a container for waste collection while they searched for a permanent location.
He explained that the clean-up in Simpa was not successful compared to the previous ones they had in Tarkwa, Nsuaem, and Benso, so they had to involve the police to help get people out of their homes.
“We saw people on their motorbikes, going about their daily activities. They are cooperating now, but it took excessive force to achieve this.
“Since this is the first time, we believe more people will get involve in the months or years ahead,” he stated.
Mr Peter Kwesi Wilson, Municipal Coordinating Director, urged residents to participate in community clean-up events to minimize diseases such as malaria and cholera, and meet local sanitation and environmental standards.
Mr Emmanuel Kwadjo Gyimah, Assembly member for Simpa Essikafo Abatem electoral area, lamented that “We have 18 containers in the area, but when they are full, the assembly and unit committee members bear the cost to have them emptied.”
He said that became a problem, so the containers have been retrieved and stored at the unit committee chairman’s house for safekeeping.
Mr Gyimah advised shop owners with the containers in front of their stores to make sure they had the waste removed when it was full to prevent overflow and maintain cleanliness.
