Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has initiated the Homowo Clean-up exercise and mandated that all shops remain closed on the designated day of the exercise.
“We expect all shops and businesses in the designated area to close on the day of the exercise. We also urge leaders of various groups and associations to participate fully,” the Ga Mantse said when he launched the initiative at the premises of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on Friday, June 21, 2024.
The clean-up exercise is expected to start on July 2.
The month-long campaign, titled “Let’s Keep Accra Clean,” seeks to encourage better waste management practices, enhance environmental cleanliness, and foster a sense of communal ownership and responsibility for environmental stewardship.
The initiative, coordinated by the Ga Traditional Council (GTC) in collaboration with various government agencies, will cover all 25 local government authorities in the Greater Accra Region.
It includes activities such as registering households for organized waste collection, educating on waste management methods, and enforcing regulations to ensure adherence to waste management laws.
The Ga Mantse cautioned against politicizing the initiative, stressing that environmental cleanliness concerns everyone irrespective of political affiliations.
He urged residents to strictly follow sanitation regulations, clean their surroundings including frontages and gutters, and advocated for reintroducing communal work and increasing public awareness on sanitation.
Additionally, he warned that a dedicated task force would be deployed to apprehend and prosecute individuals who violate sanitation laws.
“The Assemblies should also take up their responsibilities by making refuse bins available and at vantage points,” he urged.
He announced an exciting addition to the clean-up campaign: sanitation competitions involving schools, communities, markets, and bus stations competing for recognition, with prizes awarded to the cleanest participants.
These incentives are intended to encourage greater effort and foster community pride through friendly competition.
King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II also called on corporate entities in the city to adopt sustainable practices and environmental policies that prioritize ecological health.
Government ministries collaborating on the initiative pledged their resources and expertise to ensure its success, underscoring their dedication to achieving a cleaner and more environmentally friendly Accra.