The GPRTU in the Tarkwa District has rejected allegations of poor sanitation at its transport terminal, following a viral social media video that depicted the area as filthy.
The claims suggested that the unsanitary conditions stem from the terminal authorities’ inability to manage the large volumes of waste generated daily. However, the union insists this narrative is misleading.
Speaking on behalf of the Tarkwa Main branch, First Trustee Dominic Essel attributed the sanitation challenges largely to traders operating within the terminal.
According to him, although these traders pay tolls to the assembly, many contribute to indiscriminate littering. He further alleged that waste collectors, commonly known as “jonkies,” who are hired by traders to dispose of refuse, sometimes dump the waste within the terminal instead.
Despite the situation, the GPRTU maintained that, it has implemented measures to promote cleanliness, including the provision of dustbins for both drivers and traders.
He added that the Union has gone a step further by investing in waste management logistics.
“As part of efforts to keep our terminal clean, we have purchased a tricycle and employed someone to dispose of the refuse at a dumping site everyday. Each trip costs 100 cedis, and we pay the worker a monthly salary of GHC 1,000,” he revealed.
Meanwhile, some traders at the terminal have echoed concerns pointing out that certain individuals particularly water sellers who operate within the terminal without paying tolls to the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly are the ones contributing significantly to the littering.
They further blamed the activities of “jonkies” for worsening the sanitation situation and called for stricter and more comprehensive measures to address the issue.
“GPRTU authorities have provided us with dustbins and encouraged us to dispose of our waste properly without any charges. However, much of the refuse seen at the station is caused by some traders especially water sellers and others who hire ‘jonkies’ to dispose of their waste, only for it to be dumped back at the terminal.
Additionally, some shop operators hide their waste under parked vehicles, and once the vehicles move, the refuse is left behind.
So, the filth seen in viral video at the terminal was not the doing of the GPRTU Tarkwa branch, but largely the result of our own actions as traders,” they revealed.
“The GPRTU Tarkwa branch is doing its best, but the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly must support these efforts. We also urge authorities to enforce stricter measures to curb the situation and sack all ‘jonkies’ operating within the terminal,” they stated.
In an appeal to the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly, the First Trustee urged the municipal assembly to provide dedicated vehicles for regular evacuation of refuse. He explained that delays in waste collection often result in the accumulation of garbage, which likely contributed to the situation captured in the viral video.
In an interview on Connect News, the Environmental Health Officer at the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly, Alex Kwame Damptey, clarified that the GPRTU Tarkwa Main Branch is not a dumping site. He, however explained that the Assembly is currently in discussions with a private waste management company to ensure regular evacuation of refuse across the municipality, including the terminal, due to the Assembly’s lack of its own waste collection vehicles.
The Environmental Health Officer further noted that although traders and GPRTU make efforts to keep the terminal clean, some individuals still dump heaps of refuse at the terminal whereby activities of the day have ended, contributing to the sanitation challenges.
“We are currently engaging a private waste management company to deploy their vehicles for refuse evacuation within the municipality, including the GPRTU terminal. Once the process is finalized, we will formally engage GPRTU executives,” he revealed.
Addressing concerns about the cost being borne by GPRTU despite traders and GPRTU paying tolls to the Assembly, he acknowledged the union’s efforts, describing sanitation as a shared responsibility. He commended the GPRTU Tarkwa Main Branch for supporting waste management through the provision of dustbins and a tricycle.
“Sanitation is a shared responsibility, and the GPRTU Tarkwa Main Branch is playing its part, which we appreciate. We will soon engage them further to strengthen collaboration,” he added.
