The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Sanitation Court has sentenced Michael Osei, a repeat sanitation offender, to six months in prison after he failed to pay a GH¢1,200 fine for dumping refuse at an unauthorised location near the Accra Post Office.

In a statement issued by the AMA, the conviction comes following an enforcement exercise by the AMA, conducted in the early hours of the morning between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. in various parts of the Accra Metropolis.

The operation aimed to clamp down on illegal waste dumping in the city, an issue that has long plagued the capital.

The Head of Public Affairs at the AMA, Mr Gilbert Nii Ankrah, confirmed the conviction on Wednesday, highlighting the gravity of the case.

According to Mr Ankrah, the AMA had also arrested a 32-year-old Nigerian national, Yusif Dahiru, who was allegedly involved in unauthorised waste dumping and extorting money from members of the public at an illegal dumping site near UTC in Accra.

In the case of Michael Osei, Mr Ankrah detailed his criminal history, saying he was first arrested on September 15, 2025, for dumping refuse at an unauthorised site, in violation of Section 56(a) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).

Despite this previous conviction, Osei repeated the offence and was arrested again on April 14, 2026, at the same location near the Accra Post Office.

The court imposed a fine of GH¢1,200 or six months’ imprisonment if he defaulted.

The Assembly has been increasingly active in its efforts to combat illegal waste dumping in the city, with periodic enforcement exercises and public education campaigns aimed at improving sanitation standards.

The AMA has made it clear that it will not tolerate illegal waste disposal, particularly from repeat offenders who continue to violate sanitation regulations.