The Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Tawiah III, has pledged his support to the Accra Metropolitan (AMA) in its efforts to transform the capital city to befit its status as the Gateway to Africa. Speaking during his first visit to the Assembly in Accra, he listed some challenges that retarded the progress of the metropolis as environmental sanitation, unapproved development and congestion. “The issue of sound environmental sanitation practices in our communities has always been a matter of great concern to me,” Nii Tackie Tawiah said. “This is due to the adverse implications associated with poor sanitary conditions and I pledge here to assist the Assembly to solve these problems.” The Ga Mantse noted that indiscriminate disposal of refuse and littering in the city were major problems, noting that though no payment was made for dumping refuse into central containers, some irresponsible residents had been dumping refuse into gutters and at unauthorised places. He also observed that structures, such as kiosks and metal containers, were springing up at unauthorised places. There were unapproved development projects, encroachment on open spaces earmarked for development of clinics, schools and markets, unauthorised selling of roads and streets and closure of major roads for social functions. The Ga Mantse said springing up of structures at unapproved sites was degrading the city of its aesthetic beauty. He noted: “Sometimes, these structures were erected on open drains and on pavements, depriving residents of the use of these pavements and also making it very difficult for the Assembly’s labourers to do effective cleaning.” Nii Tackie Tawiah stated that efforts by AMA to clear the structures were met with strong resistance from community members, belligerent youth and “the powers that be.” “I would wish that the Assembly comes out with a progressive policy on the proper management of waste, where residents both in the deprived communities and well-developed residential areas, would contribute towards the huge cost of management of waste,” he said. The Ga Mantse said developers ignored requirements to obtain building permits because of difficulties in land acquisition. He said: “I would endeavour to streamline the procedures with the collaboration of this Assembly, my chiefs and sub-chiefs so that developers would have little to complain about.” Source: GNA