Tema Industrial Market Owners Association repairs sewer chamber

The Tema Industrial Market Owners Association (TIMOA) has repaired a faulty sewer chamber located in the Mankoadze Market in Tema Community One after summons from the city’s environmental health officers.

The association provided funds for the repair of the broken sewer chamber from which liquid waste gushed out into a nearby drain.

Environmental Officers from the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) led by Mr. Joshua Manab, had earlier issued the summons to the traders on the ugly scene.

At a ceremony to announce the completion of the repair works, Mr Manab commended the association and urged it to consider the repair work as a corporate social responsibility.

He said individuals and groups that could handle communal environmental challenges should be up to the task instead of waiting for city authorities or the government to do so.

Mr Manab commended the management of the association for heeding the advice instead of waiting to be prosecuted.
He added that environmental health officers were not only there to prosecute but also to educate and advocate for behavioural change among the public to bring change in the sanitation situation in the country.

Mr. Emmanuel Obiri-Abedi, the Secretary for the TIMOA, on his part, expressed gratitude to the officers for the education and urged other entities and residents to always heed the advice of the environmental officers to have a clean environment to operate and stay in.

Mr Obiri-Abedi said the chamber was built over 30 years ago, adding that they thought that as part of the central sewer system, the TMA had the responsibility for its maintenance.

He said the chamber broke down about seven years ago and they reported it to the TMA, whose officers repaired it but it broke down again shortly after.

He said about a month ago, the environmental officer summoned them to a meeting on the chamber where they were educated about the health hazards it posed to them and other residents.