Chief fined GH¢600 for unlawfully excavating cesspit tank

A Circuit Court at Dormaa-Ahenkro has convicted and fined Nana Taa Kyeremeh, Nsuasehene of Dormaa Traditional Area GHS 600.00 for willfully and unlawfully excavating a cesspit tank injurious to live and property.

Nana Kyeremeh pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful excavation and non-compliance with the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851 and the Court presided by Madam Philomena Ansah Asiedu, Esq. accordingly sentenced and gave him the fine.

Dickson Kwadwo Akamanda, Prosecuting Officer, Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit of the Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly, Bono Region told the Court the convict, a cocoa farmer, lived at the stadium area, a suburb of Dormaa-Ahenkro.

He stated about 0900 hours on Thursday, May 18 this year environmental health officers on their usual routine inspections detected within his premises, convict had excavated a cesspit tank which was uncovered and surrounded by bushes.

He said it therefore served as a receptacle, hiding place for reptiles, breeding flies and mosquitoes and thus endangered passers-by in the vicinity, especially during light out in the night.

Akamanda stated convict was invited to the office many times for health education on the dangers of leaving the pit uncovered and was given opportunity to correct the nuisance he had created and report at the office for re-inspection but failed to comply with the directive.

He said despite the numerous public education on the need for convict and others of similar offence to keep such pits covered, he did not heed the education and continued to endanger the health of residents and passers-by.

Convict was subsequently served with a criminal summons to appear before the Court for determination of the matter, Mr Akamanda added.