Our Streets Are Still Filthy

I wrote an article on this same website on 24th October 2005 titled The Filth on Accra Streets-Here’s how to Solve It. This Christmas I went on an inspection tour and I was most disappointed to find my efforts have achieved nothing at all. With undiminished enthusiasm I repeat my observations and recommendations. We all know the problem
What is the cause of the filth on the streets?
• Generally, as I said before, the cause of the filth is that the rate at which rubbish is dumped on the street is far in excess of the rate at which rubbish is taken off. In fact no effort or provision is made towards ridding the streets of rubbish. Look at the picture above. Is there any dustbin?
• There are no bins in the city of Accra. The few that are available are too few, too small and too far between to have any effect.
• The few inadequate bins are not emptied frequently enough to have an effect on the problem
• Our public places are either never swept or are swept so infrequently that their net effect is zero.
• When swept the accumulated rubbish is left in place to create an even more ghastly sight or left to scatter and destroy the required effect.
How can the problem be solved?
As mentioned before, since the problem is caused by an unbalanced equation, the solution is to simply balance the equation by increasing the rate at which rubbish is taken off. This can be achieved as follows;
• In high traffic areas such as the Accra-Tema Station, Kaneshie Market, Okaishie etc rubbish bins should be provided every 5 to 10 feet.
• The bins must be appropriately designed for use by both pedestrians and cleaners.
• In lorry parks, responsibility for cleaning should be given to the GPRTU office.
• The bins must be emptied every hour to prevent rubbish build up.
• Road sweepers and garbage collectors should be adequately paid for the job to be attractive. This will help reduce unemployment.
• Teams of garbage collectors must have supervisors who inspect and take action to ensure the job done is up to scratch.
• When bins are abundantly provided, we can now justifiably prosecute people who drop litter all over the place.
• I am sure the Poly tank manufacturers in the country will be only too willing to manufacture the bins and bin bags needed for the project.
Conclusion. Again, I end by repeating the conclusion of 3 years ago; The solution to our problem is not a matter of high-tech gadgetry, but of simple application and effort. The streets of the great cities we hear of and admire have been clean for centuries before automotive vehicles were invented.
Sometime in 1999, a British cleaning company published a letter in The Daily Graphic offering their services to our authorities, but clearly nothing came of it.
On a personal level, I see the solution of this problem involves more than publishing a few articles of opinion. I must now carry my crusade on to another more active level.
The Chief Executive Officer Accra Metropolitan Assembly 3 Asofoatse Nettey Road P O Box 386 Accra Ghana