The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Sanitation Court has sentenced a repeat sanitation offender, Michael Osei, to six months’ imprisonment after he failed to pay a GH¢1,200 fine for illegal waste dumping at the Accra Post Office.
The conviction follows a special early morning sanitation enforcement exercise conducted by the Assembly between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. across parts of the Accra metropolis, aimed at clamping down on indiscriminate waste disposal.
Speaking on the development, Head of Public Affairs at the AMA, Gilbert Nii Ankrah, revealed that Osei is a habitual offender who had previously been arrested for a similar offence. According to him, Osei was first apprehended on September 15, 2025, for dumping refuse at an unauthorised location, an act which contravenes Section 56(a) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).
He explained that in the earlier case, Osei was convicted on October 30, 2025, and fined GH¢600 or, in default, a three-month prison term. However, he avoided imprisonment after the fine was paid on his behalf. Despite the prior conviction, Osei was rearrested on April 14, 2026, at the same location near the Accra Post Office for repeating the offence. This time, the court imposed a stricter penalty, sentencing him to six months in prison after he failed to settle the increased fine of GH¢1,200.
In a related development, the AMA also arrested a 32-year-old Nigerian national, Yusif Dahiru, during the same operation. He is accused of engaging in unauthorised waste dumping and allegedly extorting money from the public at an illegal dumping site near the UTC area in Accra.
The AMA has reiterated its commitment to enforcing sanitation laws and maintaining cleanliness in the capital. Officials have warned that individuals who flout sanitation regulations will face strict penalties, including prosecution and possible imprisonment.
The Assembly continues to urge residents to dispose of waste responsibly and use only approved dumping sites to support efforts toward keeping Accra clean and safe.
