Four Aboboyaa Operators to Spend One Month in Police Custody - for Indiscriminate Dumping of Refuse

By Sebastian R. Freiku

FOUR OUT of the seven persons who were arrested by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly last week for dumping refuse at an unauthorised place near the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi, have been prosecuted and sentenced to a one-month detention in police cells.

The Asokwa District court 2, presided over by Her Lordship Mrs Doreen Smith Arthur sentenced Kwadwo Abadi, Stepehn Ampong, Karim Mohammed and Ishau Abukom to serve one month for dumping coconut husks at an unauthorised place, between the odd hours of 11pm and 2am.

They would be made to sweep and cart refuse within the KMA metropolis to the final disposal site, under the supervision of the Environmental health offices on daily basis, for the period they will be in police custody.

The four accused persons were also bonded one year, not to dispose refuse indiscriminately or serve a five-month imprisonment term.

The arrests were made through the vigilance of residents during a massive clean-up exercise, in which KMA staff joined night sweepers to keep the city clean.

One Kofi Anane, who was arrested at Dichemso, has been remanded to re-appear before the court on August 21, 2017.

Meanwhile, the KMA boss, Osei Assibey Antwi, has met and interacted with the Aboboyaa operators who have constituted themselves as waste management service providers and advised them not to litter the city.

He said though they help the KMA by clearing the waste, they have to dispose of them at the land fill site. He also advised them to register the Aboboyaa and also obtain license for riding the motorbikes.

In an related development, the Public Relations Unit of KMA, headed by Mr. Gordon Okuma Nyame, has advised all persons engaged in collecting waste from households and workplaces for a fee, to always dispose of the waste and refuse at the land fill site, which is the only approved place for dumping of refuse in the city.

He said, it is the responsibility of all residents to contribute to the success of the "Operation Keep the city clean and green" programme, launched by the KMA recently.

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