The Regional Coordinating Council of the Greater Accra Region is seeking to surcharge persons who fail to keep the frontage of their property either for private or commercial purposes clean and paved, greened, or cemented as directed by the various local assemblies.
This is contained in a proposed uniform bye-law on sanitation for all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies within the Greater Accra Region.
Portions of the law direct the assemblies to clean, pave, green, or cement the frontage of property belonging to individuals who refuse to do so and later surcharge them for the cost of the service.
Deputy Local Government Minister, OB Amoah has been highlighting the bye-law at a stakeholder consultative dialogue on the issue.
“Where the operator fails, it is proposed that the Assembly itself will carry out that exercise. We will clear the debris and clean the drain and surcharge the owner of the business with the cost of the exercise. It doesn’t matter whether you were notified or not. If you don’t do it, then it means that you expect the Assembly to do it. The moment the Assembly does it, we will surcharge you for what you were expected to do,” HE SAID.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey introduced the “clean your frontage” initiative as a monthly move to improve sanitation in the Region.
It is similar to the National Sanitation Day initiative introduced in 2014.
Since 2014, the first Saturday of every month has been earmarked as National Sanitation Day, where Ghanaians are expected to clean their communities.
The day was meant to raise awareness of the need to improve sanitation and emphasize public involvement.
But Ghanaians’ commitment to the Sanitation Day has been questioned in the past because of the inactivity on the allocated days.
To further improve sanitation, Mr. Quartey said he plans to introduce a scheme to distribute dustbins across the region.