Sixteen individuals in Kumasi have been arrested and put before court by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for violating environmental safety bye-laws.

The arrest and prosecution follow a recent enforcement sweep in renewed efforts by the assembly to tackle rampant insanitary conditions and activities in the Ashanti Regional capital.

Head of the Environmental Health Unit at the KMA, Kwaku Poku, speaking to Luv FM, disclosed the offenders who are also residents in the central business district were subjected to a wide array of violations.

Kumasi generates approximately 2,000 tons of solid waste daily, much of which ends up in drains and open spaces due to inadequate disposal practices.

The registered violations of the arrested offenders ranged from residents allowing household filth to flow into public drains, keeping weedy and unkempt environments, and indiscriminate dumping of waste.

Head of the Environmental Health Unit at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kwaku Poku, disclosed that offenders have been arraigned before court for appropriate punishments.

The court imposed various fines on the violators.

“We have arrested 16 people who flouted environmental safety bye-laws,” he stated. “We are rightly enforcing the laws, arresting those who have flouted various environmental and sanitation regulations. Some had homes in the Central Business District, and they have allowed their filth to flow into the public drains, others had dumped indiscriminately.

“They were arraigned before court for failing to make an appearance. In terms of enforcement, I believe we have made strides towards it, I assumed my role barely three months ago, and I am prepared to tackle the filth in the city,” said Mr. Poku.

The enforcement sweep in Kumasi also affected food production sites with shirked hygiene standards, including the Kumasi Abattoir.

The KMA and Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) taskforce inspected a viral ice kenkey factory and shut down the facility due to unsanitary conditions.

The environmental unit head, Kwaku Poku is counting on collaborative effort to effectively combat the menace troubling the Kumasi Metropolis.

“We are in talks with Kumasi Abattoir to arrest stray cattle on our streets. I led the team of KMA and FDA staff to the ice kenkey factory at Adehy3 Market and asked them to cease operation. We have closed the facility.

“We have a weak supervision regime when it comes to policing food-producing facilities and markets. We are collaborating with the FDA to strategize on how to routinely monitor our markets and rid them of filth,” he said.