Accra, Oct 31, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) would, from November arrest those who indiscriminately dispose waste as new measure to clear the city of filth. The initiative, which would start on pilot basis at the Central Business District formed part of recommendations made by a committee tasked by the AMA to develop modalities that would help address the waste management challenges in the Metropolis.

Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, AMA Chief Executive made this known in Accra on Tuesday at an inauguration ceremony to usher into office an Executive Implementation Committee to manage the task which was under the umbrella of a new project, Accra Plastic Waste Management Project(AWMP).

He said the pilot programme, which would last for six months would be replicated in other business centres in the city. He said the Assembly would mount bill boards at vantage points with the inscriptions "No Drop Zone", adding that guards would be deployed to arrest recalcitrant ones who refused to dispose plastic waste in bins. The AMA Boss said the AWMP would also implement a compulsory registration exercise for producers and distributors of plastic products to ensure an empirical data base system on companies producing plastics and polythene to help in effective waste management. To provide funding for the project, special permit stickers would be issued for all trucks distributing pure water within the piloted area at a fee of 100 Ghana cedis (one million) for trucks that carry up to four tonnes of sachet water.

Mr Adjiri Blankson said vehicles up to seven tonnes would pay 120 Ghana cedis and those, which were seven tonnes and above would pay 150 Ghana cedis and articulator trucks would also pay 300 Ghana cedis. He said only companies with AMA business operating permit, business registration certificate and Standard Board/Food and Drugs Board certificate would be issued with the trade permit stickers to operate. The AMA Chief Executive called on alcohol, beverage, pharmaceutical companies as well as all other industries whose products contributed to waste to come to the AMA to support the project.

Mr Ebbo Botwe, Chairman of the Executive Implementing Committee said the AWMP was developed on the short, medium and long term to address issues of communication, education, technology and improvement to improve waste management system.

He advised all producers and distributors of sachet water and polythene to come to their secretariat located near the Internal Revenue Service Office, Dan's Bar, North Kaneshie to register before November 15.

Ghana hosts two-day anti-piracy seminar

Accra, Oct. 30, GNA - The Copyright Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, African Publishers Network (APNET) and the Ghana Book Publishers Association (GBPA) would host a two-day continental meeting on the need to fight piracy. The regional seminar being held between October 31 and November 1, on the theme: "Maximizing the Benefits of Creativity - Say no to Piracy" would attract participants such as writers, publishers, authors, copyright owners from the continent. A statement issued in Accra by the Copyright Office said the aim of the seminar, was to create awareness and highlight the relevance of the Copyright Act of Ghana. It is also to maximize the benefits of creativity, as it intends to draw the attention of participants to the benefits of copyright protection and the need to fight piracy. The Attorney-General and the Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey would address the opening session.