Sana'a: Amid the urban expansion and population growth witnessed by Sana'a Governorate, the file of cleanliness and improvement emerges as one of the most important daily service challenges. The Cleaning and Improvement Fund in Sana'a Governorate has released its comprehensive annual report for the year 1447 AH, showcasing the scale of field efforts, achievements, and figures realized to enhance the urban appearance of the governorate, despite obstacles and limited resources.
According to Yemen News Agency, the cleanliness sector witnessed intensive efforts during the year, resulting in the removal of 142,011 tons of waste and refuse from various streets and neighborhoods across the districts through 57,223 transport trips. These quantities represent an increase of 12,912 tons, marking an 11% rise compared to the year 1446 AH, reflecting the Fund's response to urban expansion and the increased daily waste output.
To enhance field efficiency, the Fund supported its field machinery with 40 new waste collection barrels and 12 additional pieces of equipment and machinery, including street sweepers, tipper trucks, and dump trucks, supported by the Ministry of Finance and field efforts. The Fund also absorbed 179 new workers, 150 street sweepers, 16 equipment operators, and 13 drivers to cover needs across various sectors.
The Fund's role was not limited to waste collection and transport but extended to environmental safety and aesthetic appearance. Control teams successfully eliminated 18,420 stray dogs to reduce hazards and disturbances to residents. In terms of monitoring and awareness, 9,843 awareness activities were carried out, along with 311 media activities, and 1,491 notices and violation reports were issued and distributed. Concurrently, 30 awareness video clips were produced, and 4,000 awareness brochures were printed and distributed to raise community awareness about the importance of environmental conservation.
In the field of improvement and gardens, five service projects were completed for the rehabilitation and development of central islands and gardens, at a total cost of 264,071,000 riyals. To support vegetation cover, 10,108,000 riyals were spent to plant 6,737 fruit seedlings and various types of trees in different central islands and streets across the governorate.
The Fund took tangible steps toward automation and administrative modernization, including the activation of the unified accounting system, electronic collection of self-resources, the introduction of the equipment tracking system "Yemen Track," and the secretariat and cleanliness management system. On the financial front, the Fund achieved total collections of 3,640,056,000 riyals, of which 3,049,000,000 riyals were supplied through the Ministry of Finance, and 590,249,000 riyals were collected from self-resources. Total actual expenditure on activities and operations amounted to 3,447,061,000 riyals.
The Fund's management also paid attention to the health of workers, providing 6,535 medical examinations and treatment services to workers and employees at a cost of 45,041,000 riyals. Despite these comprehensive achievements, the annual report indicated that field work faced real obstacles, most notably the escalating population growth and the increasing volume of daily waste, and limited operational expenditures, as the Fund relies on an expenditure plan established since 2022 without updates to keep pace with inflation and rising costs.
The sprawling geographical nature of Sana'a Governorate presents another difficulty, imposing additional burdens on equipment routes, fuel consumption, and machinery maintenance, which necessitated 1,419 maintenance operations during the year. The Executive Director of the Fund, Engineer Sami Al-Turabi, affirmed that the Fund's management worked to raise the level of cleanliness and improvement services and enhance the urban appearance of the governorate. It implemented a number of programs, activities, and projects aimed at developing waste collection and transport services, improving operational performance efficiency, and expanding community awareness about the importance of maintaining cleanliness and the environment, in cooperation with relevant authorities and various segments of society.
He highlighted the most prominent achievements, the challenges facing work, as well as the indicators and results achieved, which contributed to the development of field and office performance, supporting the development of future plans to achieve desired goals and continuously improve the level of services provided to the community. Al-Turabi explained that continued improvement in services requires the combined efforts of both community and official bodies, calling on citizens, commercial shops, and establishments to adhere to waste disposal times and locations, reduce violations, and preserve trees in central islands on main streets and public places, so that Sana'a Governorate remains a civilized and clean facade that everyone can be proud of.
He affirmed that the Cleaning and Improvement Fund in the governorate will continue its efforts to raise performance levels and work quality, relying on God Almighty and then on the guidance and support of the governorate's leadership.