By: Maame Efua Kwaduah
Happy FM as part of its community engagement initiative “Happy on Wheels,” visited the Klottey Korle constituency in the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, May 30, 2024.
This initiative forms part of the station’s efforts to connect more closely with its listeners.
Epa Hoa Daben socio-political show hosted by Bismarck Brown was broadcasted live from the Tema lorry station.
The event was attended by leaders and members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), and community members.
The Municipal Chief Executive for the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, Samuel James Nii Agyei Tawiah, revealed that the assembly’s top priority is sanitation. He mentioned that although the assembly has about two hundred thousand eligible voters, approximately two million people visit daily.
He pointed out that this influx results in significant waste, as people eat, drink, and dispose of rubber waste, which often ends up in the gutters.
According to him, the municipality spends about 40% of its revenue on waste management to keep the city clean. Mr. Tawiah highlighted that the assembly is seeking innovative solutions to tackle this issue, including public education and awareness campaigns.
Regarding waste bins, he explained that while the assembly is providing them, many are stolen from the streets. Consequently, they are encouraging residents to have bins in their homes. He also observed that there is a lack of individual commitment to spending money on waste management.
Some aggrieved traders at the Tema station accused the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the assembly of harassment, alleging they are being forced out of the station.
However, the MCE denied the claims, stating that they would not deprive the traders of their livelihoods. He emphasized that laws prohibit selling on pavements, as they are meant for pedestrian use. He clarified that there are no plans to evict the traders but rather to build stores to relocate them from the streets.