Traders at Madina Zongo Junction in Accra have appealed to the government to strengthen waste management systems and consider restoring Zoomlion Ghana Limited’s role in refuse collection to help address growing sanitation concerns.
The traders said the current waste collection arrangement has struggled to keep pace with the volume of garbage generated daily, particularly in busy commercial areas and densely populated communities.
According to them, a more reliable refuse collection system is needed to ensure that waste cleared from markets, roadsides and drainage channels is evacuated promptly.
Traders join National Clean-up Exercise
The appeal was made during the National Clean-up Exercise at Madina Zongo Junction, where traders joined officials of Zoomlion and other stakeholders to remove refuse and desilt clogged drains.
While praising the exercise, the traders expressed concern that its impact could be undermined if the waste collected is left unattended after clean-up activities.
They explained that in some previous exercises, heaps of rubbish remained along roadsides because of delays in getting enough trucks to transport the waste to disposal sites.
Speaking to Adom News, one of the traders said Zoomlion had played a major role in sanitation activities in the area for several years by collecting and disposing of waste generated during clean-up exercises.
“For the past 17 years that we have been desilting gutters, Zoomlion has been the company responsible for collecting and disposing of the refuse. They have always come to pick up the waste, even on occasions when we were tired and had to leave it along the roadside,” she said.
She appealed to the government to provide additional logistical support, especially waste collection vehicles, to make sanitation efforts more effective.
“After we remove the silt and other debris from the gutters, the question is: where are we supposed to dump the refuse?” she asked.
The traders said restoring stronger waste collection support would help maintain cleaner surroundings and reduce health and environmental risks associated with accumulated garbage.
They urged authorities to review the current waste management system and introduce measures that would guarantee regular collection and proper disposal of waste across Accra’s commercial centres.
According to them, delays in removing refuse could worsen sanitation challenges in markets and other high-traffic areas.
Meanwhile, some tabletop traders and roadside vendors expressed disappointment over the failure of some shop owners to participate in the National Clean-up Exercise.
They accused some business operators of closing their shops during the exercise instead of joining efforts to clean their surroundings.
The traders stressed that keeping communities clean requires the commitment of everyone, including residents, traders and business owners.
They called for greater cooperation from all stakeholders to ensure that sanitation exercises produce lasting results.
