EPA and Local Assemblies Intensify Nationwide Sanitation Crackdown to Mitigate Flooding

Ghanaian authorities have launched a rigorous enforcement drive to tackle sanitation violations and mitigate the perennial risk of flooding during the rainy season. In a significant move, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) ordered the immediate closure of Dukes Fuel Station at the Kasoa Second Bus Stop in the Central Region. The closure followed an inspection by the EPA’s Kasoa Area Head, Mr. Abbas Dawood, which revealed that the station’s severely choked drains were causing rainwater to overflow onto the highway, creating hazardous conditions for motorists and pedestrians. The facility is mandated to remain closed until the drainage issues are fully resolved and local sanitation standards are met.

Parallel to these efforts, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has revived the traditional 'Samansaman' system of sanitary inspections to combat environmental decay. A special task force recently secured the prosecution of 23 first-time sanitation offenders at the Prempeh Assembly District Court. These individuals were fined between GHS 1,200 and GHS 1,800, with the alternative of serving a 10-day prison sentence. Led by Mr. Kwaku Poku of the Environmental Health Unit, the initiative seeks to hold residents directly accountable for maintaining clean surroundings and to deter public health violations through strict legal consequences.

In the Tema West Municipality, enforcement has taken the form of both regulatory action and humanitarian support. Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Ludwig Teye Totimeh led a massive cleanup exercise involving security agencies and community members, warning that businesses operating during communal labor hours will face penalties. The assembly is also targeting the removal of kiosks and structures obstructing drainage channels to ensure free water flow. Amidst these enforcement measures, the Lele Group has stepped in to support those already affected by environmental challenges, donating 1,000 relief packages to families impacted by recent floods. CEO Hussein Jaber presented the items to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to assist vulnerable households.

These coordinated actions across the Central, Ashanti, and Greater Accra regions signal a zero-tolerance approach by the government toward environmental negligence. Officials have emphasized that the current cleanup initiatives are part of a larger national mission to enhance sanitation standards and safeguard infrastructure. As the rainy season continues, authorities warn that similar enforcement actions will be extended to other establishments and residential areas that fail to comply with drainage maintenance and waste management regulations.