Accra, March 4, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) as part of its effort to rid the city of filth and choked gutters on Saturday, embarked on its monthly clean-up exercise throughout the various sub-metropolitan areas of the capital.

The exercise, which is the first after its successful cleanup in January 28, 2006, was to test the capacity of the various sub-metropolitan areas to manage garbage and filth collection in their localities.

The exercise that started around 07.00 hours involved the de-silting of choked gutters and the clearing of rubbish along the streets by an AMA Task Force, market women and residents of the various communities.

Mr. Stanley Adjiri Blankson, AMA Chief Executive, together with other officials of the Assembly visited some of the sub-metropolitan areas to inspect work.

Some of the places visited included the Sraha and Agbogbloshie markets, the Mpamprom Traffic-Light area, Odorkor Trotro station and Korle Gonno and La Market area.

However at the Agbogloshie Market some traders who had been warned by the Assembly not to sell on the edges of the road had their goods seized by the AMA Task Force accompanying the Chief Executive. Mr. Adjiri Blankson said the Assembly had decided to undertake a general cleanup at least once every month.

He said the first two weeks of every month would be used by School Children to clean their surroundings while the sub metropolitan area councils would organise one at the end of every month.

He said the next general exercise, which would involve shop owners, communities; the security agencies and other organised groups would take place at the end of each month.

The Chief Executive announced that some ceremonial streets would be beautified with about 18,000 coloured bulbs as part of Ghana's 49th Independence Anniversary celebration.

He named the streets to be decorated as the Shangri-La to the National Theatre, Kwame Nkrumah Circle to the Wato Area in Accra and the Danquah Circle through Nkrumah Circle, Obetsebi Lamptey Circle to the Mortuary road. The Ghana Telecom, SG-SSB, Areeba and Ghana Commercial Bank are sponsoring the project, which is being undertaken by All Afra Company Limited.