Cape Coast Metropolitan Refuses Claims of No Waste Bins

Waste has been a major issue in the country, littering in our society has over the years been a major setbacks. There was media news recently of accusation from musician ESHUN to cape coast municipality that, refusal to place waste bins at vantage points in the community causes a bad amenity of waste all over.

In a statement sighted by thepublisheronline.com, the Municipal thinks that, the absence of waste bins should not be the reason for any responsible person to litter the city. Littering in public places is irresponsible and we must not assign any reason to it.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW :

6th July, 2018

For Immediate Release

RE: NO WASTE BINS IN CAPE COAST IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF LITTERING IN CAPE COAST

The Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly has followed with keen interest media reports on the above subject which is attributed Musician Ethel Eshun popularly known as eShun. First of all, the Metropolitan Assembly will like to salute eShun for joining our campaign to keep the city clean. We appreciate her efforts but reject totally her claim that the major cause of littering in the city is as a result of no waste bins in the city. We do not think that, the absence of waste bins should be a reason for any responsible person to litter the city. Littering in public places is irresponsible and we must not assign any reason to it.

On the subject above, we respond as follows:

1. The Metropolitan Assembly has in the past provided waste bins and placed them at vantage points and within markets and lorry stations in the metropolis. Two problems were encountered. The first one has got to do with theft. Many of these waste bins in the cities were stolen by householders and people within the communities. The second problem, is that, lorry stations have rejected the suggestion that we place waste bins at lorry parks because residents who live close to these communal containers have used them as their dumping grounds and mostly dump human excreta in communal waste bins. In view of this, the Assembly is encouraging individuals to own their own waste bins. However, the Assembly is ready to place waste bins at vantage points once enough education is done in this regard.

2. The Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly recognises the importance of a cleaned city to its developmental agenda especially in the area of investments and the promotion of Cape Coast as the desired destination for tourism in Ghana. Again, the Assembly is also working hard to achieve an open defecation free city by 2019, a target set by the Regional Minister, Hon. Kwamena Duncan and the Sustainable Development Goal 6, that is achieving a clean water and sanitation by the year 2030. In view of this, management in November last year appointed Sanitation and Tourism Ambassadors to help in creating awareness on a clean Cape Coast. Furtherance to this, on 29th January, 2018, we launched the campaign “wrap your waste own a dust bin” initiative. Finally, our decongestion exercise carried out at the business districts of Kotokuraba and Abura were to improve sanitary condititions in Cape Coast.

3. Management of the Assembly believes that, the problem at stake is largely attitudinal and that the only solution to this is the enforcement of our bye laws. We cannot begin law enforcement without adequate education /awareness creation on sanitary practices in the city. Thus, the programmes above are to create the necessary awareness before law enforcement begins. As we speak, our public engagement and announcements are ongoing. Enforcement of our bye laws will follow very soon.

We wish to reteirate our commitment to a clean city and would work with all stakeholders to ensure that Cape Coast becomes one of the cleanest cities in Ghana.

We want to use this opportunity to appeal to Corporate Ghana and individuals to support our quest to have a clean city.

Thank you.

*Richmond Yeboah*
(Investment Coordinator/Public Relations Officer)
0202320671