Some Ghanaians desilting choked gutter
Traders at the Community One Market in the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on Thursday appealed to officials of the Assembly to re-start the clean-up exercises, which used to be done every month some few years ago.
The traders were of the view that since the market was choked and packed with people who were not observing the COVID-19 protocols, there was the need for the clean-up exercise to help improve on sanitation conditions.
According to them, there were about five facilities designated as places of convenience in the market, one at the main entrance, two at the car park where they offloaded the foodstuffs, another one close to where meat was sold, one at the old filling station and the last one located at where tubers were sold.
Out of the five, four places were water closets, while one was traditional dugout toilet, where the fee charged was 0.80 pesewas.
For the water closet, the charges ranged from GHC1.00 to GHC1.50 when the tap was flowing, but whenever there was water shortage, prices shots up from GHC1.00 to GHC1.50 and GHC1.50 to GHC2.00 depending on the environment.
Although the five facilities were not enough, the traders noted that there were not enough spaces for more to be constructed, the Ghana News Agency at Tema learnt during a tour of the market.
Mr. Richard Anaam, a driver, told the GNA that there was the need for the authorities to build more places of convenience despite the limited space in the market, because “the guys always go into the gutters around GMG Company and ease themselves there” causing a great nuisance to the area.
He also reiterated the call on the metropolitan authorities to restore the clean-up exercise done every month for the betterment of the market.
Madam Cecelia Okyere, a trader, said although the facilities were not enough, the traders needed to fend for their families, so cannot be asked to vacate their stores and the sites to be turned into toilet facilities as “this place is a market so you don’t expect to get everything perfect, but we are managing”.
Madam Ataa, a trader, on her part said, some of the toilet facilities were not hygienic, and admitted that one cannot get it as in their various houses, “there are people who tidy up the place, but the problem is when the taps are closed”.
They also complained about one of the closets which had started leaking, so they appealed to the TMA to work on it.