Osei Assibey Antwi inspecting some of the places that were cleaned
HUNDREDS OF petty traders in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, suspended their businesses and embarked on a major clean-up exercise to mark the Africa Union (AU) Day yesterday.
Led by the Kejetia Petty Traders’ Association, the enthusiastic-looking traders desilted choked gutters and swept some principal streets to beautify most parts of the boisterous city.
The clean-up exercise was the petty trader’s contribution to the Kumasi mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi’s, untiring efforts to rid Kumasi and its immediate environs of filth, within the shortest time possible.
The massively patronized exercise took place at Pampaso, the Kumasi Zoo and the Adehyie Market areas, among other places.
The highlight of the exercise was when Mr Osei Assibey, accompanied by some Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) officials, paid an unannounced visit to the venue of the cleanup at about 7:00 am.
In an address, the Kumasi mayor commended the petty traders for their show of patriotism and urged them to continually carry out such an exercise to make the city completely clean.
Mr Osei Assibey also warned residents of Kumasi against littering at unapproved places, stressing that the fight against filth is a collective responsibility and so everybody should contribute their quota.
Nana Akwasi Prempeh, chairman of the Kejetia Petty Traders’ Association, called for intensive education so that the dumping of garbage at unapproved places in the city would be a thing of the past.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi