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The 10-day ultimatum issued by the Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, to the Accra Metropolitan Assemblies (AMA) and other sanitation agencies to rid the city of filth has begun to yield fruits. When the Daily Graphic visited some places in the metropolis, including the Agbogbloshie Market and its surrounding areas, almost all the gutters and refuse dump sites had been cleared. Before the exercise began on Monday, those areas were massively choked with waste, as a result of which there was an overpowering stench which made it difficult for people to breathe. At a small dump site close to the Korle Lagoon, most of the garbage had been cleared. The only remaining waste materials found were pieces of broken bottles which an AMA official said would be cleared before the end of the 10-day ultimatum. Background President John Mahama had directed the Local Government Ministry and the city authorities to, as a matter of urgency, clear all refuse in the metropolis. The directive was adhered to by Mr Amissah-Arthur, who led government officials to undertake a massive clean-up exercise at the area, beginning from the Agbogbloshie Market on Monday. The Vice-President further instructed the AMA to spearhead the campaign to rid the city of filth within 10 days. Sanitation task force A team of officials from the AMA, led by the Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Vandepuiye, supervised the work of Zoomlion workers who undertook the clean-up. Some traders who had mounted their wares along portions of the road were forced to clear their items to pave way for vehicular movement and the smooth clearing of refuse. The AMA boss warned traders not to sell along the shoulders of the road, since offenders would be sanctioned. Traders Some of the traders who spoke to the Daily Graphic said although they were happy with the clean-up exercise, the activities of sanitation agencies were rather annoying.