KMA to sanction persons who avoid National Sanitation Day exercise

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has warned that sanctions will be enforced against those who fail to participate in the National Sanitation Day cleanup exercises.

The usually bustling Central Business District of Kumasi looked unusually quiet on Saturday morning as shops remained locked in observance of National Sanitation Day.

By 8:30 a.m., the streets, often filled with traders and shoppers, were largely empty except for a few people lounging in front of their closed shops.

Despite the government’s call for all citizens to take part in the monthly cleanup exercise, many traders chose to sit idle, watching others undertake the task.

Speaking on Saturday, November 1, Environmental Health Officer Kwaku Poku expressed concern over the continued low turnout among shop owners and attendants.

“It has been a source of worry to the assembly whenever we are organising this kind of exercise — the participation has been quite low. We expect the shop owners and the attendants to support us in that regard,” he said.

Mr. Poku noted that despite extensive public announcements and sensitisation campaigns, many shop owners still close their shops and avoid taking part in the monthly exercise.

He added that the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Kwasi Ofori Boadi Agyemang, has indicated that the assembly will introduce measures to ensure maximum participation.

“It is a national exercise, so everybody is supposed to partake in it. Those who refuse to take part will face sanctions so that everybody sees this exercise as an important one,” Mr. Poku added.

Earlier in the day, the Mayor directed that shops in the CBD remain closed until after 2 p.m. as a penalty for traders who ignored previous cleanup exercises.