Maggot-infested filth engulfs Kaneshie Market as Accra is touted as clean

At a time when the Minister for Sanitation and the Mayor of Accra are describing sanitary conditions in the city as generally clean, the Kaneshie Market is being engulfed with filth.

The situation at the market is as a result of the inability of managers of the facility to get rid of seven days of accumulated waste.

Just like any other person who has been to the market in the last seven days, Ghanaweb reporters upon reaching the entrance of the market yesterday morning were greeted by the sight of a big pile of refuse stretching across a whole area. The reeking heap of filth which was clearly a source of discomfort for some women selling at the entrance of the market was also sprouting maggots to the disgust of people around.

The situation at the inner section of the Kaneshie market was, however, a contrast of the scene greeting shoppers who have come to buy from the market. It was realised by the GhanaWeb team that the inner parts of the market as compared to that of the entrance was far better and hygienic.

Speaking to some of the market women, they described the situation as an unpleasant one because everyone coming to the market comes through the entrance.

The women say for what has been a regular practice, refuse is collected from the market at dawn and deposited at the entrance for a waste management company to collect every morning. However, for the past seven days, no refuse management company has been to the market to collect the rubbish which has accumulated over the days.

For the market women who expressed worry about the situation, the continuous existence of the refuse at the market poses serious health risks to them, shoppers and the end consumers of their products.

They lamented how complaints in previous situations resulted in some of their colleagues being victimised or evicted by the market authorities. For fear of being threated same, the market women who spoke off-camera said they are hopeful the market authorities will do something about the rubbish which is posing risk to their health and business.

As at the time of filing this report, all attempts by GhanaWeb.com to speak to the market authorities on the issue had proved futile.