Hohoe Shop owner sentence for failing to participate in clean-up exercise

The Hohoe Magistrate Court has fined a provision shop owner, Esther Ofori, GH¢240 for refusing to participate in a communal clean-up exercise organised by the Hohoe Municipal Assembly as part of the National Sanitation Day programme.

Ofori pleaded guilty to the offence and was convicted on her own plea. The court, presided over by Acting Magistrate Lambert Y. Keriba, further ordered that she serve one month in prison if she fails to pay the fine.

Her conduct was found to be in breach of Section 21(4)(i), (ii) and (v) of the Hohoe Municipal Assembly Bye-laws, 2018.

Prosecuting, Environmental Health Analyst Daniel Dotse Eklo told the court that Ofori refused to participate in the communal clean-up exercise held on Thursday, July 2, 2026.

He said the Hohoe Municipal Assembly had designated the first Thursday of every month as a communal clean-up day, running from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., as part of efforts to improve sanitation within the Hohoe township.

According to Mr Eklo, businesses were prohibited from operating during the designated period, except pharmaceutical and drug stores and other businesses providing emergency health or humanitarian services.

He explained that bar operators, chop bar owners, market traders, shopkeepers and store operators were expected to use their own resources to clean their premises, market sheds and shop fronts, as well as desilt drains during the exercise.

Mr Eklo said at about 9:22 a.m. on the day in question, members of the Municipal Sanitation Taskforce, while supervising the exercise in the Atabu area, found Ofori’s shop open with the convict actively selling goods to customers.

He said her refusal to comply with the sanitation directive constituted an offence, resulting in the issuance of a court summons and her subsequent prosecution.

GNA