Court sentences barber for dumping refuse in public drain

Ekpane Seyram, a barber, was sentenced by a Hohoe Magistrate Court for collecting and dumping rubbish into a public drain. Ekpane pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of GHS 600 or two months in prison. On Monday, July 27, at about 2000 hours, he was caught dumping rubbish into the public drain around the Konuvie Plaza area. His activity was captured on video and shared on Facebook.

The incident caught the attention of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the Environmental Health Office at about 2126 hours the same day. The Environmental Health Unit, in collaboration with the MCE, investigated and found Ekpane on Wednesday at about 1030 hours. He accepted liability, stating he collected rubbish from a drinking bar belonging to Madam Cecilia Attamah and Vincentia Attamah around the Konuvie area. Mr. Daniel Dotse Eklo, Environmental Health Analyst, described the action as "barbaric and inimical to the environment which could lead to flooding and outbreak of diseases." The Assembly has placed skip containers at vantage points for proper refuse disposal, with the Konuvie area being about 150 meters from a container site.