Accra: Madam Linda Ocloo, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, expressed disappointment over the level of inefficiency and complacency exhibited by most of the metropolitan and district chief executives within the Accra Metropolis. "Many of you are simply sleeping on the job. Excuses are nothing but an embarrassment to the people we serve," she stated during a media encounter in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, the engagement, christened 'Time with the Media', is an interactive platform designed to bring the public up to speed with activities being undertaken in the Greater Accra Region. It forms part of the Government's 'Reset Agenda', where government officials and agencies meet the press to provide updates on their stewardship, deepening transparency, strengthening accountability, and ensuring that citizens hear directly from their local authorities.
Madam Ocloo emphasized that leadership is not about sitting in offices and enjoying the perks of their positions but about delivering results. However, in terms of street lighting, she noted significant progress had been made, with over 128 streets lighted in the Greater Accra Phase I Project. "Lighting is not merely infrastructure; it is a matter of public safety, urban order, and a key enabler of the 24-hour economy," she explained.
The Regional Minister announced the acquisition of 3,000 streetlights from the Ministry of Energy, with each metropolitan, municipal, and district assembly set to receive 100 pieces. "Let me be clear: you have two weeks only to ensure that every single one of those lights is fixed. No excuses, no delays!" she warned. She pledged to personally monitor the directive and assured that any chief executive who failed to comply would be exposed. "If you cannot manage this basic task, then you have no business occupying that office," she asserted.
Further expressing concern over the sanitation situation in the city, Madam Ocloo described the menace as 'unacceptable'. She criticized many assemblies for refusing to act despite having resources such as the sanitation component of the District Assembly Common Fund. "You have ignored the recruitment of young people to clean our streets and desilt our drains. What is the excuse? None. It is sheer negligence and disregard of your duty," she said.
She underscored that sanitation is not a favor but a core responsibility, reflecting on the stench, filth, and choked drains as a failure in leadership. She urged MMDCEs to collaborate with security agencies to intensify surveillance and take proactive measures against the mounting of illegal billboards in the city.