Kasoa: The Awutu Senya East Environmental and Sanitation Office arrested and arraigned three individuals before the Akweley District Court for sanitation offences.
According to Ghana News Agency, the offences included discharging wastewater in the open, dumping and burning waste in the open, and the use of pit latrines. The accused were apprehended by a bench warrant after failing to respond to an invitation from sanitation officers and ignoring a court summons.
Ebenezer Otoo faced charges for dumping and burning waste in the open, while Margaret Yeboah was charged for using a pit latrine. Abdul Aziz was accused of discharging wastewater in the open. Otoo and Aziz pleaded guilty, whereas Yeboah pleaded not guilty before Mrs. Annie Adobor, the presiding magistrate.
In a surprising turn, Abdul Aziz was acquitted and discharged after fixing the open drain responsible for the wastewater discharge. The cases of Otoo and Yeboah were adjourned, each granted bail of GHC20,000. Otoo, required to provide two sureties, must reappear on Monday, September 29, with a waste management company registration. Yeboah will be re-arraigned on Friday, October 10, requiring one surety.
Mr. Paa Kwesi Asiedu, Environmental Health Officer in Charge of Prosecution, stated that the enforcement of sanitation laws remains active. He warned that individuals flouting sanitation regulations would face prosecution. He also outlined the challenges faced by sanitation officers, including threats of physical and verbal attacks and a lack of essential logistics like rakes, wheelbarrows, dustbins, and brooms. He appealed for support to ensure that officers can perform their duties effectively.
