For defying the directive by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to participate in Saturday’s National Sanitation Day exercise held on Saturday, October 4, 2025, some shop owners have been issued with summons to appear in court.
The exercise took place across the country and forms part of a renewed sanitation campaign, led by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
The Public Relations Officer of the AMA, Gilbert Ankrah, explained that sanitation and public health officers were deployed to summon the shop owners who refused to participate in the exercise.
He revealed that all those who defied the directive will be dragged to court.
“What we noticed was that there were a couple of shop owners who had opened their shops, and quickly we had sanitation and public health officers moving in to deal with them.
“They were given summons and will be arraigned before court on Monday,” Ankrah said in an interview with the media.
Mr. Ankrah described the public turnout as encouraging, adding that “The participation was quite impressive. If you look at how people came out to support the exercise, it was very successful,” he said.
“Currently, as I speak, we are doing a mop-up in the Agbogbloshie area, clearing some of the remaining debris. We will continue collections in some areas before Monday.”
He added that the Mayor of Accra has declared October as Sanitation Month, during which intensified clean-up operations will continue.
Background
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) previously announced that all shops and markets in Accra would remain closed from 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 4, 2025, until the conclusion of the first official National Sanitation Day clean-up exercise.
This followed the President’s launch of the initiative, which will be observed on the first Saturday of every month.
The objective of the exercise was to rid Accra of filth, promote public health, and strengthen collective responsibility for a cleaner, safer, and more resilient capital.
The directive was in line with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (Communal Labour) Bye-Laws, 2017, enacted under section 181 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), which mandates the observance of National Sanitation Day.
All Assembly Members were also directed to lead simultaneous clean-up campaigns within their electoral areas to ensure coordinated and efficient work.
The operation targeted all sub-metropolitan areas, with intensified activities in Agbogbloshie, Tuesday Market, Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Kwasiadwaso, and Kaneshie Market.
The AMA urged residents, traders, shop owners, and other stakeholders to comply with the directive and actively participate in the clean-up. Public Health Officers will be deployed to monitor compliance and enforce the closure order.
It also warned that failure to observe the directive constitutes an offence, punishable by a fine of up to 100 penalty units or imprisonment of not less than 30 days and not more than six months, or both. Continuous offences will also attract additional daily penalties.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
