In an effort to stop the incidence of the littering, especially of plastic waste in the city of Accra, the Metro Public Health Department of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Accra Plastic Waste Management Project (APWMP) have embarked on a special exercise to arrest and prosecute offenders. The exercise, which began last month, has already resulted in the arrest of 13 people, three of whom are serving various prison terms at the Nsawam Prisons. The Accra Community Centre Court B sentenced the three, Joyce Oduro, Maama Muntari, and Abubakar Umaru to fines of GH¢ 120, GH¢360 and GH¢120, respectively. For defaulting in paying the fines they were imprisoned a total of 14 months. Four others paid their fines ofGH¢24 each. All the seven pleaded guilty. The cases of six others have been adjourned to September 11, after they pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecuting, Mr. Samuel F. Norgbey told the court presided over by Mr. Ali Baba that the accused were arrested during different operations for throwing rubbish in the street contrary to section 296 of subsection one of Act 29/60. The accused persons, he said, also failed to comply with several public announcements carried out by the Accra Plastic Waste Management Project and the AMA, both in the print and electronic media, to stop littering the metropolis. Mr. Norgbey explained that littering, particularly of plastics has become a public nuisance and in spite of efforts made by the metropolitan authorities to provide dustbins for the collection of rubbish, the accused persons continued to litter the streets. He said littering in the metropolis has become a major concern for the city authorities and appealed to the court to punish the offenders to serve as deterrent to others. Source: David Agbenu/Times/Ghana