Tension has gripped several shop and store owners within the Weija-Gbawe Municipality of the Greater Accra Region following a strict enforcement exercise led by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Felix Odartey Lamptey, in the aftermath of the National Sanitation Day clean-up.

The MCE, accompanied by officials from the Municipal Health and Sanitation Directorate, embarked on a post-clean-up inspection across various communities to assess compliance and monitor the proper disposal of waste, debris, and silt collected from drains.

During the exercise, the Municipal Sanitation Taskforce locked up several shops whose owners failed to participate in the clean-up.

The affected business owners were directed to desilt and clean their frontages before being permitted to reopen, and some were fined in accordance with the Assembly’s bye-laws.

Speaking during the inspection, Mr Lamptey emphasised that maintaining a clean environment requires collective responsibility.

“Cleanliness is a shared responsibility. Every resident and business operator must take ownership of their surroundings”,Mr. Felix Odartey Lamptey, MCE for Weija-Gbawe.

The Municipal Environmental Health Director, Mrs. Maraimah Braimah, reiterated the Assembly’s resolve to enforce its bye-laws to ensure Weija-Gbawe remains clean and healthy.

She added that defaulters whose shops were closed would pay fines after completing the required clean-up activities.

Mr  Lamptey commended residents, institutions, and community groups that actively participated in the clean-up, urging them to sustain the momentum and make cleanliness a daily habit.

He also cautioned that future inspections will be unannounced, underscoring the Assembly’s commitment to upholding environmental standards and preserving public health within the municipality.