Buzstopboys clearing the choked gutters at the Alajo curve. Picture: CALEB VANDERPUYE

Ensuring good sanitation responsibility of all— Buzstopboys

Juliet Akyaa Safo Jun - 25 - 2024 , 09:57

The Founder of the voluntary sanitation group, Buzstopboys, Heneba Kwadwo Safo, has said ensuring good sanitation practices and keeping the environment clean must not be a responsibility of any class or group of people in society.

“When the gutters get choked and the roads become bad, everyone, regardless of one’s social class will be negatively affected,” he said Members of the group are usually seen wearing branded Buzstopboys reflectors, wellington boots and protective gloves with shovels, rakes, brooms and machetes in hand to clear garbage and gutters in Accra and other cities.

Mr Safo indicated that the country was built on volunteerism and, therefore, everyone needed to be responsible for the environment. He stressed that the group’s main purpose was to change the mindset of people, sensitising them to the importance of developing the habit of keeping the environment clean.

“If we get 10 per cent of the population being responsible for their trash and how their garbage is disposed of, the streets will be clean,” he said.

Some areas cleaned

The group, which was originally formed in July last year with seven members, but now has 129 members, selects locations in Accra to clear choked gutters and drains, sweep the streets and properly dispose of the debris.

Members have cleared drains stretching from the Accra Mall bus stop to the Shiashie main road, which was choked with sand; drains at East Legon and Spintex underpass, and also cleaned behind the Shiashie bus stop twice.

They have also worked on both sides of the Shiashie footbridge surroundings. The founder and leader of the group told the Daily Graphic that it cost them GH¢520 for trash disposal after working in an area.

He added that they also had worked more than once in areas such as Odorkor, Darkuman, Nyamekye, Kwashieman and Awoshie. Mr Safo said they normally set a day aside to go back to areas they had cleaned to ensure the areas remained clean.

For Awoshie, he said, they cleared the median in front of the Odorgonno Senior High School to make it visible for the students to see the road and to reduce the frequent vehicular knock-downs at that spot.

“We also realised that the traffic lights aren't working, but after clearing and applying weedicides, the road is now visible for the students and pedestrians to cross safely,” he said.
He also said members had worked at the U-turn before Anyaa Market and Ablekuma Fan Milk U-turn.

“Currently, we have people rising in the Birim North area; we have advised them to form a team, and we will try as much as possible to support them with the little we have,” he said.

He said some youth at Kokrobite had also formed a group known as the “Brotherhood” who come together to undertake similar cleanup exercises. “Generally, we have seen individuals getting involved and clearing their gutters, we urge them to properly dispose of the debris after clearing,” he said.

He, however, indicated that the Buzstopboys were considering expanding to Kumasi since about 25 people already had shown interest in joining the team. “We will soon go to Kumasi to form a team, support what they have to do and then come to Accra to continue with our work,” he said.

According to Mr Safo, their main effort was to raise awareness of volunteerism and keeping the environment, stating that “almost all our communities were built on volunteerism”.

Support needed

Mr Safo said they needed a garbage truck to enable them to work in large areas for a longer time. He said they were also in need of a street sweeper and pressure washer to clean and wash the streets, as done in foreign countries.

Support received

The group has received support from individuals, including celebrities, and also massive support from people on various social media platforms. On Wednesday, June 12, Dancehall artiste Shatta Wale donated GH¢30,000 to the group to support their work.

Mr Safo indicated that the money would be saved up to purchase an excavator worth GH¢1,000,000 to facilitate their activities. Musician Reggie Rock Stone also provided food to the group during one of their cleaning exercises in Accra.