Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive Roland Ayoo says long-distance buses and heavy duty trucks parked at the Bolgatanga Jubilee Park will be cleared this week, describing the park’s current use as a transport stop as unlawful and damaging to the state-owned public facility.
“I will ensure that from next week I will move all of them out of that place because that is not the grounds for parking,” Mr. Ayoo said. “If they refuse, they will face the full rigors of the law.”
The MCE said the municipal assembly has already invested significant resources to create an appropriate bus and truck parking zone near the stadium and insisted that long-distance drivers must be redirected there.
Mr. Ayoo’s comments follow growing criticism over worsening sanitation at Jubilee Park, located in the Atulbabisi electoral area. He confirmed that the facility has become a site for indiscriminate dumping, defecation, and loitering, noting that parking activities are contributing to litter and environmental damage.
The MCE said trucks found there “pour their oil or litter the place,” adding that the state facility must be preserved for national events, festivals, security exercises, and cultural activities.
Mr. Ayoo said weak security staffing has hampered enforcement at the park, but plans are underway to recruit police support and possibly involve the military in patrols.
“We do not have enough security men as of now,” he said. “I will be engaging the police commander and the military… to ensure we get one or two, three people to use them as examples, and I think the narrative will change.”
He added that the park’s management remains the responsibility of the municipal assembly, noting that repairs have already been budgeted for after parts of the facility were vandalized.
Mr. Ayoo said he was unaware of claims that some cleaners engaged to tidy the park had not been paid. He confirmed that the environmental health unit had previously conducted cleanup exercises but said details about other recruited workers had not reached him.
Asked whether dustbins had been provided, Mr. Ayoo said the assembly is considering it but emphasized that “the issue of sanitation is not about dustbins — it is about our attitude.”
He said previous bins were destroyed when residents burned charcoal in them or dumped excreta, making proper waste handling difficult.
Mr. Ayoo said discussions are underway with corporate institutions, including banks, to secure sanitation materials and financial support.
The MCE said the assembly is reviewing access control, particularly at the back gate near Atulbabisi, which he said is frequently used by people entering to engage in prohibited activities.
He said the gate will be narrowed and strengthened with metal but cannot be fully shut because it provides access to a sacred tree used for religious worship.
“You cannot prevent people from glorifying their gods,” he said, noting that worshippers visit at any hour.
Asked whether appointing a park manager could improve oversight, Mr. Ayoo said broader community accountability was more important.
“What belongs to the state belongs to nobody — people should watch,” he said, urging residents to report wrongdoing directly to authorities.
Mr. Ayoo said his administration is committed to restoring Bolgatanga’s reputation as one of the cleanest municipalities in Ghana. He cited steps already taken to clear refuse dumps and open access to major waste sites for trucks.
He called on the media, assembly members and opinion leaders to partner in public education as sanitation task forces continue cleanup operations.
“Our best may not be the best for everybody, but so far we are doing our best,” Mr. Ayoo said.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Bolgatanga
