Tema, April 16, GNA - The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) would on Monday, April 18, arraign 30 residents before the courts for various sanitation offences.

The offences include opening of shops during a recent clean-up exercise, littering and heaping of refuse in front of homes. Mr Robert Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency on Saturday at Kpone during a clean-up exercise.

Mr Ofosuware said the sanitation team of the Assembly had so far collected spot fines between GH¢20 and GH¢50, from 40 other residents for such offences. He explained that it was an offence under the Assembly bye-laws to engage in selling at premises where clean-up exercises were being carried out.

The MCE pleaded with residents in the Metropolis to see the cleaning of their environment, as part of their daily chores, rather than one that was to be done by the Assembly. He said the involvement of the Assembly and other stakeholders in the exercise were to create the awareness of the importance of keeping the Metropolis clean. He, therefore, urged residents to regularly weed and sweep the surroundings of their localities, and to also de-silt drains to ensure their health safety.

Mr Ofosuware indicated that the exercise at Kpone was the third in a series, as similar clean-ups have been held at Tema East and Tema West Constituencies. He gave the assurance that the exercise would continue in other parts of the Metropolis after the Easter festivities. Residents of Kpone which comprised the youth, children and the elderly came out in their numbers to fully participate in the clean-up exercise.

They weeded, swept and de-silted drains in and around their homes, the lorry stations, and the various schools in the town. Assembly Members in the Metropolis, staff of the TMA and Zoomlion, also participated in the exercise which started at 06:00 hours. Shops in the town remained closed during the exercise. 16 April 11