The exercise, led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La has market women, security agencies and Zoomlion Ghana workers participating.

They cleaned all the principal streets of Tema, market centres, schools and hospitals.

The 61st independence anniversary was launched in Accra with a focus on keeping Ghana clean to help curb the increasing rate of malaria, cholera and other diseases in the country.

In this regard, Kofi Adda, the Minister of Sanitation, has tasked Regional Ministers, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives to lead the cleanup exercises in their regions and districts.

Addressing the traders and residents at the various locations, Mr. Anang-La expressed concern with the apathetic and lukewarm attitude of some of the people, who only looked on unconcerned whilst others partook in the cleanup exercise.

He said such attitudes did not show respect for authority and likened it to homes where children were disrespectful to their parents.

“Democracy does not mean being disrespectful,” he said, adding that “we all have to join hands to make our surroundings free from mosquitoes and other diseases.”

 “I am grateful to the media for the part it played by reminding Ghanaians to actively participate in the exercise. The assembly will enforce the laws on sanitation by arresting and prosecuting offenders and appealed to the courts to impose hefty fines on culprits,” Mr Anang-La said.

The Mayor pleaded with the residents to change their attitudes towards the national sanitation day and actively participate in it, and urged the traders on the pavement to move to the Hawkers’ Market.

Mr. Anang-La warned that with effect from Monday, the Assembly would take a legal action against those who litter the streets.

He appealed to the media to embark on an educational campaign on good sanitation practices to curb the menace of indiscriminate disposal of waste.

He praised personnel of the Military, the Eastern Naval Command, the Ghana Immigration, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Police, the Tema Restoration Ambassadors and other youth groups that participated.

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Source: GNA

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This comes after an appeal against the ban by the Municipal Chief Executive. The MP was expected to appear before the Assembly to apologize before any such decision should have been taken, but he blatantly refused to attend.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ooDiS9BV1qN5NVBz2v4i2aOjvoHAOIS7″]The MCE, who according to Citi News sources appears to be under pressure from top government officials, eventually appealed to the Assembly members on behalf of the MP to lift the ban.

The decision to suspended Mr. Ahenkorah was taken by the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC) of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly chaired by the presiding member of the Assembly, Richard Fiadomor earlier this week.

The committee’s decision to punish Carlos Ahenkorah occurred after he lost his cool and attacked the Tema Metropolitan Assembly Works Engineer who was supervising the demolition of unauthorized structures erected on the edges of a road in the area.

The unauthorized structures, according to the Engineer, Maxwell Adu Boateng, were obstructing movement and traffic along the stretch hence the exercise.

Carlos Ahenkorah, who got wind of the exercise rushed to the site, allegedly attacked the TMA task-force and prevented them from demolishing the properties at the Cocoa village.

According to Mr. Fiadomor, the PRCC found the conduct of Mr. Ahenkorah unfortunate hence the suspension.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The unauthorized structures, according to the Engineer, Maxwell Adu Boateng were creating nuisances along the stretch hence the exercise.

But Carlos Ahenkorah, who got wind of the exercise rushed to the site in a very angry mood, charged and chanted “choboi” and instructed his constituents and affected residents to stop the TMA taskforce from destroying their properties.

The exercise was being undertaken with protection from a joint security force from the Navy and police.

However, the armed navy and police personnel present at the scene could not utter a word or stop the residents as the residents unleashed their anger on the TMA taskforce.

Carlos Ahenkorah, who is also the Deputy Minister for Trade, then walked towards the TMA works engineer, Maxwell Adu Boateng, who upon sensing danger of the angry MP bolted to his pickup vehicle with the intention of fleeing from the scene.

Not satisfied with his action, the MP further chased Adu Boateng and banged his car and threatened that he would let his constituents shoot him if he dares to come to the area to conduct such exercise.

However, it took the timely intervention from some members of the public to help the engineer to flee from the snare of the MP.

The Tema Metropolitan Assembly has on three different occasions received a written request from the Ghana Cocoa Board to remove the structures in front of their wall at Cocoa village, Community 2.

The letter stated that the structures have become a nuisance and also impeding the progress of work on their construction.

It further highlighted the security threats occupants of the village face, as the structures serve as a hide out for armed robbers.

The Chief Executive of Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, in an interview condemned the attack saying, the actions of the MP was needless and wrong.

He said although the assembly will face stiff opposition in its quest to restore Tema to it formal glory,  they are prepared to see it to the latter.

Carlos Ahenkorah aware of demolition exercise

He said the MP for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah who is also a board member for Cocoa Board is aware of the assembly’s decision to embark on the demolishing exercise

The TMA boss expressed worry about the actions of the MP, “We have had several consultative meetings with the MP, so I was surprised when I heard he had attacked the engineer”

Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La noted that the assembly has on countless occasions served removal notice to the affected residents, but have always found their notice thrown into pieces.

The Tema MCE called for the support from all the three MPs [Tema East, West and Central], Assembly members and residents, in carrying out the assemblies vision; “Tema Restoration Agenda” to ride the city of all unauthorized structures.

Meanwhile, some affected residents presented documents and receipts to show permit of the erection of a temporal structure from the assembly.

According to them they have paid huge amounts of monies to the assembly, and do not deserve such humiliation from them.

They threaten to take the assembly to court for destruction of their property.

In a related development, the MCE was equally humiliated by the MP for Tema East and Deputy Minister of Transport, Titus Glover when he attempted to clear the frontage of the Assembly off squatters.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This he said will help curb the indiscriminate littering within Tema.

According to him, Tema being an industrial city and one of the best planned community in the country, deserves to have a clea. metropolis at all times.

Mr Mensah-La said this at the maiden edition of a three week clean up agenda to rid the city of filth in Tema.

He said the three week clean up agenda set by his office is aimed at ensuring that Tema becomes clean again and also ensure that the Presidents vision of making the GreaterAccra region the cleanest city in Africa comes to fruition.

“This is an exercise that will continue in the coming days because Tema to a large extent has lost its glory and its about time all stakeholders come together to build the city.”

He noted that sanitation offenders would be prosecuted and fined accordingly to serve as deterrent to others.

The maiden exercise of the clean up which started from Tema East would in the subsequent weeks move through all three constituencies.

The exercise saw many people come out in their numbers to desilt gutters, sweep the streets and clear choked drains.

The people were also educated on the need to keep a clean environment.

“We are not going to relent on this exercise of arrest and the prosecution of sanitation offenders until the people get to know that it is an offence to litter around. We shall strictly go by the sanitation by-laws without fear or favour,” he stressed.

Mr Mensah-La said his administration will among other key things prioritize sanitation related issues to ensure Tema takes back its lost glory.

The Mayor, together with his management staff participated in the exercise and later visited some areas within the Tema East constituency where similar exercise took place to access the level of work done.

Residents of Bankuman a suburb of Tema New-town lamented the poor drainage and sewage problems affecting the community.

They pleaded with the Mayor to give situation an urgent attention in the area.
In his response to the plight of residents, the Mr Mensah-La pleaded with them to exercise restraint,  adding that, a proper sewage line and drainage systems will be constructed soon to alleviate the problem.

He however cautioned them to desist from improper dumping of waste, adding that, the sanitation by-laws enacted, will be used to prosecute those who flout the laws.

”
The law will vehemently deal with people found culpable without mercy,” he further cautioned.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This he said, will help prevent the indiscriminate springing up of such unapproved structures and the accompanying cost borne by the two authorities in demolishing it.

The advice comes on the back of an announced demolition exercise by the AMA some two weeks ago, to rid the national capital of unapproved structures.

But Speaking to Citi News, Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashietey, said instead of resorting to demolitions, the two oversight bodies should concentrate on enforcing their by-laws that govern same.

“They are the governors of the area, TMA governs Tema, AMA makes sure that Accra operates well. As the regional minister, all that I can advise them to do is that, they enforce the rules and regulations that they themselves have come up with. Don’t give somebody a permit to go and construct something and later you turn round to go and demolish it. Those who gave out those permits which are not to be given have to be dealt with.”

The Minister lamented that, the demolition of nearly completed structures appears to be unduly punishing people.

“When someone goes to put up a building on waterways, and we sit down and wait for him to get to a certain level when he has pumped in so much money before we go in a say we are going to demolish it, maybe that person has not got the expertise to determine that the place he is putting up the building is not right. I believe that in Accra, anybody who wants to put up a structure, even in Tema, you have to go and get a permit. You don’t have to do that, wait for the person to reach a certain level and go in and say we want to demolish. That looks like we want to punish people unduly,” he said.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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The intended exercise which forms part of the new Tamale Mayor’s grand plan to turn the Tamale Metropolis into the hub of the Sahel seeks to get rid Vendors and hawkers trading along some designated streets.

At a media briefing, Head of Communications of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Issah Musah gave the assurance that the exercise will not hit a snug.

He explained the intended exercise vision saying, “In line with the vision of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the vision of the MCE is simply to provide the needed leadership for the economic transformation of the Tamale Metropolis through increased investments which will be geared towards providing opportunities for job creation and employment.”

“On the basis of the vision of the MCE therefore, the assembly together with the chiefs who are custodians of our land have resolved as a matter of urgency to take necessary steps to instill discipline within the principal streets of Tamale by ensuring that various public infrastructure outlay within the Metropolis are used for purposes for which they were built or provided.”

According to him, the assembly in collaboration with traditional authorities and law enforcement agencies are determined to give the Tamale Metropolis a major facelift.

Issah Musah said a Task Force will be designated at some vantage points to ensure the exercise sustainability.
He posited that city authorities will attach a human face to the exercise by carrying wider publicity ahead of the exercise.

He said the would be affected vendors and traders are to be relocated to some earmarked market places and spaces meant to accommodate them.

The assembly’s Communication Director disclosed plan to use the periphery of the Tamale Jubilee Park for weekend marketing at a fee.

Unveiling the Assembly’s long term plan, he stated, “The assembly intends to complete the Datoyili bus terminal and relocation of long distance vehicles from the central bus terminal and eventual relocation of the Taxi Rank to the central bus terminal. We will use the space at the current taxi rank as parking space for shoppers.”
“The assembly will speed up completion of the Shea-nut market to accommodate some of the traders and the consideration for creation of many Central Business Districts with upcoming schemes/layouts,” he underscored.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post TMA to decongest Tamale Business City May 15 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

During the commissioning and handing over the facility to the hospital management, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, said the facility was constructed to help improve the provision of quality maternal services in the Metropolis.

[contextly_sidebar id=”jIgJczBDqbEYqw4xVuaILenrTecZontm”]Mr Odamtten said it was disheartening for the hospital to lose over 16 women during child birth within the first quarter of 2016.

He noted that it was the prime responsibility of the Assembly to provide the needed infrastructure and environment to support government’s policy on an improved health sector.

The MCE mentioned that the TMA had already provided the hospital with a generator, male ward an ultra-modern maternity and an improved water supply.

Dr John Yabani, Tema Metropolitan Health Director, also  expressed hope that the new maternity ward would help expand service delivery on maternity health adding that the directorate had battled so much with maternal deaths in the Metropolis.

Dr Yabani stated that a research conducted by his outfit into the high maternity death rate in the Metropolis revealed that congestion, especially at the wards, contributed greatly to it.

He explained that it was difficult for health officials to monitor patients especially those who had undergone surgery in such a congested ward.

He urged health officials of TGH to brace themselves to receive and care for patients in a bid to lift the good image of the hospital.

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Source: GNA

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