Ga Mantse launches Homowo Clean-up campaign, orders shop closures on July 2

The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has officially launched the Homowo Clean-up exercise. Scheduled to commence on July 2, the exercise mandates the closure of all shops to ensure full participation from the community.

“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 one-month campaign, themed “Let’s Keep Accra Clean,” aims to instill a sense of community ownership and responsibility towards environmental stewardship. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Ga Traditional Council (GTC) and various government agencies, covering all 25 local government authorities within the Greater Accra Region.

Key activities during the campaign will include household registration for organized waste collection services, education on effective waste management techniques, and strict enforcement of bye-laws to ensure adherence to waste management regulations.

The Ga Mantse warned against the politicisation of the exercise, emphasising that environmental cleanliness affects everyone regardless of political affiliations.

He urged all residents to adhere strictly to sanitation bye-laws, clean their frontages, gutters, and premises, and called for the reintroduction of communal labor and intensified public education on sanitation.

He also issued a stern warning to those who refuse to comply with the sanitation bye-laws, stating that a special task force will be deployed to arrest offenders and ensure they face the full force of the law.

“The Assemblies should also take up their responsibilities by making refuse bins available and at vantage points,” he urged.

He announced an exciting twist to the clean-up campaign—sanitation competitions, stating that schools, communities, markets, and lorry stations will vie for the top spot, with awards up for grabs for the cleanest.

These awards will motivate participants to go the extra mile, fostering a spirit of friendly competition and community pride, he said.

To this end, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II took the opportunity to issue a rallying cry to corporate institutions in the capital, urging them to embrace sustainable practices and green policies that prioritise environmental wellbeing.

The Accra Mayor, Elizabeth K.T. Sackey, called for change, decrying the city’s persistent poor sanitary conditions.

She emphasised that a clean environment was pivotal to safety and security, and praised the Ga Mantse’s involvement, saying, “His Majesty’s participation underscores the gravity of this issue and the collective responsibility we must embrace to create a cleaner, healthier Accra for all.

She vowed that the AMA will spare no effort in ensuring the clean-up exercise was a resounding success, leaving no stone unturned in the quest for a cleaner, greener, and healthier Accra.

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), Vincent Ekow Assafuah, praised the Ga Mantse’s leadership, acknowledging his invaluable contributions to Accra’s cleanliness.

He observed that the Homowo festival was not “merely a celebration, but a poignant reflection of our cultural heritage, deeply rooted in the values of cleanliness and community pride.”

For her part, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Lydia Seyram Alhassan, said her ministry was fully equipped and ready for the clean-up exercise.

She revealed an arsenal of resources, including 30 compaction trucks, over 30 tricycles, thousands of Wellington boots, 15,000 security personnel,