Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, has called on traders at Agbogbloshie and Kokomba Markets to keep their environment clean to avoid selling contaminated food items to buyers.
She said it was about time the traders rose to their responsibilities by ensuring that they desisted from throwing waste into drains and keep their surroundings clean to prevent the outbreak of environmental related diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
Madam Dapaah made the call when she was taken round by the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, to inspect the Agbogbloshie and Kokomba markets in Accra during a special clean-up exercise.
The Minister asked the traders to stop displaying food items on the bare floor while urging cooked food vendors to move away from drains to prevent contamination of the food by flies.
‘As market women there is the need to pay attention to food preparation, handling, storage and display to keep us healthy.’
Madam Dapaah urged the assemblies to intensify their efforts at ensuring hygienic conditions in the markets, saying; ‘It is too common in our markets and communities to observe bad environmental practices, which affect our health.’
Mr Sowah said the attitude of residents of Accra towards clean-up exercises must change adding that the issue of environmental cleanliness was not the responsibility of the Government alone.
‘We all must prepare to help achieve the desired effects,’ he said.
‘When you see your neighbour dumping waste into the drains you must challenge him or her. I appeal to the communities to be proactive to unhealthy practices such as open defecating and dumping of refuse.’
The AMA Chief Executive urged the traders to inform the Assembly whenever they have concerns with sanitation.
The traders at the Agbogbloshie Market pleaded for refuse containers to help prevent the indiscriminate dumping of waste in the area.
SOURCE GNA