NGO appeals to public to assist Accra Mayor in environmental drive

Accra, Aug. 4, GNA - An environmental NGO, the Ghana Environmental Awareness Association (GEAA), on Thursday appealed to the public and politicians to assist the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, in his efforts to make the city clean and orderly.

The National Organiser of GEAA, Mr Djanie Magoah, in a speech delivered at a meeting with members in Accra, said the Mayor's vigilance and insistence had ensured that the impact of floods in the city was minimal this year.

He urged the public not to litter the streets so that money used to collect such refuse would go into development projects. Mr Magoah lauded the drive of Mr Vanderpuije who, he said, spent valuable time at various places during the day and night to ensure that the right things were being done. He said the Mayor had been checking hawking on the pavements at various places in the city, especially Kaneshie and Kwame Nkrumah Circle, where pick-pockets and thugs had taken advantage of the congestion to steal valuables such as mobile phones, bags and money from innocent people.

Mr Magoah said Mr Vanderpuije had also cleared kiosks and containers placed at unauthorised sites, abolished the shift system, built school blocks to end overcrowding in the classrooms, and ensured that garbage was collected.

"Accra being the capital city has a very large population, so the Mayor, being the Chief Executive, has a very big task and this is exactly what he is doing. Therefore, all politicians, journalists and the people of Accra should assist him to make Accra clean for a Better Ghana," he said.

Mr Magoah said the NGO would continue with its tree planting exercise when the rains resume.