The Oforikrom Municipal Assembly has strengthened its sanitation drive with the commissioning of three skip containers and four tricycles to improve waste management across the municipality.
The skip containers will be used to store and transport municipal waste, while the branded tricycles will collect refuse from households within the four zonal councils — Ayeduase-Kentinkron, Ayigya, Bonso and Oforikrom.
At the handover ceremony, Municipal Chief Executive, Ahmed Anwel Sadat, said the initiative forms part of the Assembly’s broader commitment to promoting cleaner streets, healthier neighbourhoods and sustainable environmental practices.
He noted that improving sanitation remains a key government priority, which informed the Ministry of Local Government’s allocation of funds to procure the equipment.
The MCE emphasised that the provision of skip containers and tricycles will help address the persistent challenge of indiscriminate waste dumping in some communities.
“All the old skip containers have been damaged, making it difficult to improve sanitation in the municipality. We are expecting two more skip containers soon, and we have made plans to procure 10 more in our mid-year budget review,” he said.
“Sanitation is a matter of life, health and leadership. It is our collective responsibility to do the needful and confront sanitation challenges head-on.”
Mr. Sadat also revealed plans to partner with a private waste management company to enhance sanitation efforts and create employment opportunities for residents.
He said the contract is expected to be signed by the end of March, with about 90 people from the municipality to be employed as sweepers and deployed across various communities.
“Oforikrom is a large municipality, and sanitation efforts were affected when government terminated Zoomlion’s contract. To address this gap, we are recruiting about 90 people to help clean and sweep various towns,” he stated.
He further called on zonal council leaders to ensure the equipment is properly maintained and used efficiently.
The zonal council leaders, led by Hopeson and Kenneth Owusu Bediako, received the equipment and pledged to safeguard it.
“The zonal council has guidelines to regulate the use of the equipment, and we expect it to serve the community effectively for at least five years and beyond,” they assured.
They stressed that the success of the Assembly’s sanitation efforts depends on residents’ cooperation in maintaining a clean environment.
“The equipment is for community use, not politics. Groups or individuals planning clean-up exercises should contact their Assembly Members to access it,” they added.
They further urged residents, market operators, transport unions and other stakeholders to make responsible use of the containers and avoid practices that contribute to environmental pollution.
