The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Agona West, Mr Eric Gyamfi Odoom, has formed a seven-member sanitation committee to prosecute residents who refuse to participate in the monthly national sanitation day exercise. The committee will oversee the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department to ensure the national sanitation day achieves its objective of a clean environment. This move aims to address the poor participation in the exercise, which has been a concern for the MCE.
The committee, chaired by Mr Bashiru Saeed, the Municipal Finance Officer of Agona West, has been tasked with summoning all sanitation defaulters before court for prosecution. The MCE urged the committee to work effectively to sustain the national sanitation day and keep the area clean. He expressed concern about the poor participation in the exercise and urged the committee to collaborate with the Environmental Health and Sanitation office to prosecute their agenda without fear or favor.
The Agona West Municipal Assembly will ensure that the streets, gutters, and general environment of the municipality are clean to reduce malaria, typhoid, and other communicable diseases. The MCE cautioned residents, particularly shop and store owners who failed to partake in the clean-up exercise, to join the next exercise or face prosecution. The assembly will soon change concrete slabs in front of stores and shops into metal slabs to make it easier to clean choked gutters.
Mr Marc Dzordzordze, the Agona West Municipal Environmental Health and Sanitation Officer, educated residents on hand washing to reduce sicknesses. He said his office was ready to deal with recalcitrant residents and shop owners to serve as a deterrent to others. This move is part of a broader effort to promote environmental cleanliness and reduce health risks.
Mr Kennedy Kum, the CEO of U'Fresh soft drink distributor at Agona Swedru, urged shop and store owners not to absent themselves during the exercise, as it was instituted to ensure a clean environment and reduce sicknesses and other related health risks. He noted that nobody had any excuse not to participate in the exercise, as text messages were sent to Ghanaians through mobile networks about the exercise.
Nana Kweku Esieni V, the regent of Agona Swedru, pledged that the Swedruman Council of Chiefs would fully back the Assembly to prosecute all defaulters to serve as a deterrent to others. Nana Esieni, also the Nifahene of Agona Swedru, expressed disappointment about the poor participation and urged residents to change their attitudes for the best.
The national sanitation day exercise was instituted by President John Mahama to promote environmental cleanliness and reduce health risks. The exercise is a monthly event aimed at keeping Ghana clean, and the Agona West Municipal Assembly is taking steps to ensure its success. The committee's formation is a significant move towards achieving this goal.
Key points
- The Agona West MCE has formed a 7-member committee to prosecute residents who refuse to participate in the monthly national sanitation day exercise.
- The committee will oversee the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department to ensure the national sanitation day achieves its objective of a clean environment.
- The move aims to address the poor participation in the exercise, which has been a concern for the MCE.
