To cut down cost of this year’s 6th March celebrations, which marks Ghana’s 66th Independence Anniversary, to thrust the current economic state, all Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region will converge in Tema to observe the day.
The decision falls in line with the President’s directive to cut down on government budget expenditure as part of concerted efforts for economic recovery.
Working towards achieving this directive, the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), headed by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has engaged diverse stakeholders and the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to consider ways of effective cost cutting mechanisms for the region’s celebration of this year’s 6th March Independence Anniversary.
He explained that in-depth consultations by the RCC with key stakeholders, including Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, Regional Health Directorate, Regional Education Directorate, TOBINCO Pharmacy, and Advertisers Association of Ghana.
Meeting the stakeholders at Tema, he reiterated that the consultation was having approval from the Office of the President, with a resolve to have “a centralised Independence Anniversary Regional Day celebration to be held at the Tema Sports Stadium.
This celebration would encapsulate the participation of all 29 Metropolitan, and Municipal and Districts chief executives (MMDAs) in Greater Accra. Some Members of the Council of State, all Members of Parliament, MMDCEs, and contingents across all MMDAs in the region will be participating in this centralised regional celebration.”
Some activities to culminate the event include an extensive Operation Clean Your Frontage (OCYF) sanitation enforcement and clean-up exercise, Free Health Screening and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration, Inter-MMDA Quiz (JHS Level), Anniversary Indoor Games, Net Pulling with fisher folks at the seashore, Anniversary Boxing bout, and an Anniversary Football Match @Tema New Town Astroturf.
He indicated that there have been extensive stakeholder engagements with the Tema Traditional Authority and the formal and informal sector for effective participation in the 3-day extensive Operation Clean Your Frontage clean-up exercise, which start from Thursday, 2nd to Saturday, 4th March.
Emphasising on Operation Clean Your Frontage, he stated that all households and businesses are mandated to clean their frontages and their immediate environments as stipulated in the OCYF bye-law, which is in operation.
“This OCYF enforcement and Anniversary clean-up drive will be supported by 500 men and women drawn from the City Response Team (CRT); 600 men and women drawn from the security and intelligence agencies; about 600 men and women drawn from the taskforce teams across all MMDAs; and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Environmental Health Officers and Assistants across the Region.”
To achieve the objectives of the OCYF, the Minister added that Tema would be divided into zones for this clean up exercise, and there would be solid waste compaction trucks drawn from across the MMDAs in the region to support in the waste collection after the OCYF sanitation enforcement and clean up exercise.
Mr. Quartey further said all vehicle parked discriminatory would be towed at a fee of the garage owner or the errant driver.
“We, therefore, entreat all identifiable groups, public entities, and all companies within the Tema enclave to demonstrate patriotism and fully participate in this exercise, leading to the 66th Independence Anniversary Regional Day Celebration.
“I will be charging the Assemblies within the Tema enclave to sustain the cleaning and good sanitation practices culture forthwith.”
He also urged the Tema Traditional Council to support the RCC in the enforcement of OCYF, calling on the chiefs to summon recalcitrant subjects who would refuse to clean their surroundings.
