TMA cleans filth generated by satellite markets in schools

The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has stepped up efforts to rid the premises of Oninku Drive Basic School of filth that has engulfed the facility as a result of the siting of a satellite market on the School’s compound.

The temporal market, which was created to avoid congestion of the market centre in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, overwhelmed the school with waste to the extent that rodents took over the various classrooms of the facility.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday at the school premises, the Coordinator of the Satellite Markets in the Tema Metropolis, Mr. Charles Amos, insisted that the school would be thoroughly cleaned and made ready before school reopened on Monday.

“If you were here three days ago, you would have appreciated our efforts. We are trying to clean the place and those women at the far end of the school compound would be taken off,” Mr. Amos said, pointing in the direction of some traders who were still sitting by their wares as if nothing was happening.

He indicated that the schools close to the Satellite Markets would be sprayed and painted before Monday as directed by the TMA.

Mr. Amos indicated that the TMA was very particular about the welfare of the children and therefore would not allow anybody to come close and interfere in the activities of the school upon resumption.

“So I can assure you that by Monday, you will not meet anybody here, and the place will be neat and conducive for teaching and learning."

The Environmental Health Officer of TMA, Mr. Wisdom Aditse, indicated that his outfit was aware of the mess that had been created as a result of the siting of the market on school premises and “we have started working on it.

The situation had been worse than what we’re seeing now. So we’ll be on it until we clean up the whole place.”

Responding to the issue of rodents raiding the classrooms as a result of the closeness of the market to the facility, Mr. Aditse said, “I brought people to work on the rodents and so the whole place has been fumigated.”

He said, “The quantum of waste we removed from here was not a joke and we will complete the task.”

A visit to the school by the GNA revealed pupils busily cleaning their classrooms, having their desks outside as they mobbed the floors.

Information gathered by the GNA revealed that today was basically for cleaning up the various facilities of the government institutions and then the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) would be made available to the schools before Tuesday to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols.

Oninku Drive Junior High School was badly hit by the decision to host a satellite market.

The market operators took over the whole area, spreading the waste generated from their trading, compromising the school’s environment in the process.