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The Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has asserted, the sanitation problem in the capital city is daunting and a challenge that cannot be solved easily.

Speaking to Kwame Tutu on Rainbow Radio 87.5fm, Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah said, the issues of sanction confronting the nation is serious and "I don’t like complaining when there is a lot to be done." 

We need to find solutions and ensure that Accra becomes the cleanest city," he added.

He told the host that the AMA is indebted to all the waste management companies and that has also affected their operations since some of the staff have abandoned their post.

"We took over office when all the service providers were owed." We are indebted to Zoomlion to the tune of GHc 14 million and Stanley Owusu GHc 2 million.

I go on and on, he said. The failure of government to pay its debt, has weakened their operations and they are unable to buy equipment to collect the refuse. The labourers working, are Zoomlion staff and because they’ve not been paid, they have refused to work.

He also clarified that the management of waste at the major markets in Accra "is not under the AMA" because "we [AMA] do not take tolls from the drivers. We do not take money from the traders. It is the market company that collects these monies and it is the responsibility of the market company to evacuate the waste there." 

The AMA he stated has invested heavily in assisting the Kaneshie market, to evacuate waste there because when people see a heap of refuse there, they blame the AMA when it is not our responsibility.

"You cannot take money from the people in the market and expect the AMA to pay for the evacuation. We will assist them so they get on their feet to do what is necessary," he said.

Nii Adjei Sowah further explained that, some individuals who collect waste at some locations within Accra, dump them at major areas because they refuse to pay at the major dump sites. He described the situation as unfortunate and cautioned those to stop from doing so. According to him, some drug users who have turned themselves into waste collectors all the ones doing that.

The AMA he assured will do it best to resolve the situation. The Mayor said he came to inherit 42 illegal dump sites and has written letters to such places for it to be halted.