The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has begun activities leading to the nation’s 61st Independence Day celebration with a clean-up exercise to rid the metropolis of filth.

The exercise, led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, included of the assembly, market women, security agencies and Zoomlion Ghana.

They cleaned all the principal streets of Tema, market centres, schools and hospitals.

The 61st independence anniversary was launched in Accra with a focus on keeping Ghana clean to help curb the increasing rate of malaria, cholera and other diseases in the country.

In this regard, Mr Kofi Adda, the Minister of Sanitation, has tasked Regional Ministers, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives to lead the cleanup exercises in their regions and districts.

Addressing the traders and residents at the various locations, Mr Anang-La expressed concern with the apathetic and lukewarm attitude of some of the people, who only looked on unconcerned whilst others partook in the cleanup exercise.



He said such attitudes did not show respect for authority and likened it to homes where children were disrespectful to their parents.

"Democracy does not mean being disrespectful," he said adding that we all have to join hands to make our surroundings free from mosquitoes and other diseases.

“I am grateful to the media for the part it played by reminding Ghanaians to actively participate in the exercise. The assembly will enforce the laws on sanitation by arresting and prosecuting offenders and appealed to the courts to impose hefty fines on culprits,” Mr Anang-La said.

The Mayor pleaded with the residents to change their attitudes towards the national sanitation day and actively participate in it and urged the traders on the pavement to move to the Hawkers' Market.

Mr Anang-La warned that with effect from Monday, the Assembly would take court action against those who litter the streets and the late Vice President's Aliu Mahama’s fight against indiscipline concept would be applied in the Metropolis.

He appealed to the media to embark upon an educational campaign on good sanitation practices to curb the menace of indiscriminate disposal of waste.

He praised personnel of the Military, the Eastern Naval Command, the Ghana Immigration, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Police, the Tema Restoration Ambassadors and other youth groups that participated.