Queen-mothers clean Tema Station

Accra, April 22, GNA-The Tema Station in Accra on Tuesday witnessed a clean up by the Queen-mothers Support Association, a group of queen-mothers staying or working in Accra.

Massive filth from overflowing refuse containers had flooded the western end of the lorry park and offensive odour emanated from the plateau of refuse, heaped and strewn from the large litter bins. The worried station men, women and traders complained that the litter bins had not been lifted and emptied for more than a month. Standing close to the ugly sight of the mountain of refuse, the queen-mothers wielded and brandished brooms, shovels and other cleaning implements to draw attention of the city authorities to the ill effects and environmental hazards of the delayed clearing of the refuse. Speaking to the journalists later, Nana Abena Afriyie Werempemhemaa of Bechem, the Secretary of the Association, expressed concern about the filthy conditions at the Station.

She said the Association would be compelled to empower the market women and traders to take legal action against the Accra Metropolitan Authority and the companies to whom contracts were sublet for the lifting of the refuse.

The "royal" ladies were joined by sanitation workers of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, market queens and supported by the American Embassy in Accra, and Voltic Water Company for the clean-up exercise, which the Association undertook as part of the activities to mark the World Earth Day which falls on April 22.

The World Earth Day is intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It is an event when the world's citizens commit to building a safer, healthier, cleaner and sustainable world.

The clean-up was also to kick-start activities to mark the first anniversary of the Association.

Nana Serwaa Bonsu, President of the Association said the 58-member association was marking its anniversary with education and discussion by experts on breast cancer, women empowerment, domestic violence and "the role of mothers in the diaspora."

She said the celebration would be climaxed with a durbar to be addressed by Government ministers at the week-end. Nana Bonsu asked the women and other users of the station to keep the environment tidy.