Mayor of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) in the Central Region, Hon. George Justice Arthur, has expressed displease on the overcrowded nature of market centres in the metropolis.

An action which turns to undermine the safety and security of traders at market places within the metropolis and further exposes the market to harsh dangers should any disaster like fire or flooding erupts.

Hon. George Justice Arthur in this regard, has threatened to carry out a massive decongestion exercise to free up space at various markets in Cape Coast, particularly at the Kotokuraba and Abura markets.

Hon. Justice Arthur made the hint after a two-day mandatory cleanup exercise organized by CCMA to have citizenry of the metropolis prioritize personal hygiene for a clean and safe environment devoid of diseases.

The Mayor's complain follows the awkward crowding of some market women who turns to settle at walkways and road paths of markets to trade. An action which to him has contributed woefully to the filthy nature of these market centres.

"We will want to send this signal through your medium [journalists] that effective next week, there's going to be a massive decongestion exercise at the Abura and Kotokuraba markets with the security agency [Police] and officers in charge at CCMA," he hinted. 

Adding that he has already engaged traders of the Abura market, together with those who find themselves along road stretch and pavements of markets to look for a better place to trade, since officers assigned for the exercise will condone no form of excuse.

The Cape Coast Mayor again shared frustration over how poor sanitation is being managed within the metropolis, judging the quantum of money the Assembly turns to spend on waste management alone in Cape Coast.

"This clean-up exercise alone has cost the Assembly over GH¢69,000. An amount which can build structures and bring about enough development into the metropolis, yet it's been squandered on waste due to the weird attitude and behavior of our people," the Mayor bemoaned as he highlighted low compliance to the clean-up exercise by some people who will subsequently face sanctioned upon a repeat of such act, stressing that the law will be enforced going forward.

The Central Regional Minister, Hon. Ekow Panyin Eduamoah Okyere, upon gracing the clean-up exercise, charged the general public on mindset renewal and change of attitude on the haphazard dumping of refuse.

He disclosed that the money government occasionally spends on roads, comes nowhere near its funds used in managing waste, thus the need for a renewed attitude towards improved sanitation.

Sompaonline.com//Eric Annan