By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi

Accra, June 4, GNA – Mr. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, Chief Executive Officer, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has urged the youth to speak out against littering and refuse dumping into drains to help combat flooding in Accra.

He also challenged them to use creativity to design climate-smart solutions, helping society tackle climate challenges that seem never-ending.

In a speech read for him at the Climate Summit in Accra on Tuesday, Mr. Allotey described the youth as change-makers, emphasising their better understanding of the urgency of climate issues.

“As a Mayor, I see your innovation; I hear you educate and demand answers. I stand with you because climate change is not distant from us.

“It is here in our flooded streets, in our erratic rainfall, in the heat waves in our markets, homes and classrooms,” he said.

The event, organised by the Climate Youth Advocates Network in collaboration with AMA, commemorated the June 3, 2015, flood and fire disaster at the Goil Filling Station at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, which claimed over 150 lives and injured many others.

It also aimed to promote proper waste segregation and disposal, and champion the Accra Climate Action Plan.

Mr. Allotey urged the public to view June 3 not as a day of mourning but as a call to action, stressing that every statistic represents human life.

“That night was more than a natural disaster; it was a sad moment of inaction in the face of environmental challenges.

“It was a tragedy not only caused by rain but by blocked gutters, poor planning, and years of ignoring climate crises.

“Today, I stand before you to recommit Accra to building a greener, safer, and more resilient future,” he pledged.

Mr. Allotey stressed that tackling climate challenges required collective effort.

“We cannot build it alone. We need you so that together we can build an Accra that not only survives climate crises.

“As a city, we are implementing decongestion measures to improve waste disposal, rolling out green infrastructure projects, including the Mayor’s Green Special Initiative, and strengthening sanitation and waste management policies to prevent another June 3 disaster,” he said.

The Accra Climate Action Plan, developed by AMA, is a comprehensive strategy to address climate change impacts and achieve a carbon-neutral Accra by 2050.

The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate effects, and improve residents’ quality of life, aligning with the Paris Agreement and Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Climate Summit, which included a drama on waste segregation, recycling, and the dangers of indiscriminate dumping, was attended by city authorities, youth groups, and students from St Mary’s Senior High School, Bubuashie Cable & Wireless Junior High School, and Ayalolo 1 and 2 JHS.

Mr. Ben-Smith Afful, Project Lead for Youth Climate Action Fund Phase II, said the event sought to raise awareness on climate issues and educate youth on waste segregation.

He announced that multiple outreach activities would be held in schools, churches, markets, and Unit Committee meetings to raise awareness about the importance of separating waste instead of mixing it in a single bin.

Mr. Musah Ziyad, Presiding Member of AMA, noted that the ongoing decongestion exercise aimed to control water passage, prevent floods, and maintain a clean Central Business District.

“The problem we face is not about policies. It is about people failing to comply with the laws.

“At AMA, we believe in educating the younger generation. Once waste management becomes a habit, it becomes routine.

“That is why we are involving the youth in Climate Change Action,”* he said.

GNA

Edited by Kenneth Sackey