By Erica Apeatua Addo
Akoon (W/R), Dec. 8, GNA-New Atuabo, a community in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, has emerged winners of the 2022 cleanest community awards competition organized by Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL), Tarkwa Mine for its host communities.
The two-time winners polled 2,699 points to beat ten other communities that participated in the competition and received cutlasses, wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, brooms, dustbins, gloves and gallons of liquid soap.
Abekoase, Samahu and Wangarakrom communities had 2,511, 2,510 and 2,504 points each, for the second, third and fourth positions respectively.
For the fifth to eleventh positions, Booboobo community obtained 2,400 points, followed by Akoon, 2,386, Badukrom, 2,277, Pepesa, 2,231, Huniso, 2,109, Brahabobom, 2,105 and Tebe 2,060.
They were also given cutlasses, wheel barrows, rakes, shovels, brooms, dustbins, gloves and gallons of liquid soap.
All the eleven communities in the Mines operational area were assessed on water usage and revenue management, general hygiene, toilet facilities and waste disposal.
Speaking at the event, Madam Florence Ansere-Bioh, Community Affairs Manager, GFGL, Tarkwa Mine, said the award programme was instituted by the mining company in 2012 to promote clean communities and healthy environment.
She stated that although the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation was putting up a 10,400-seater capacity roofed stadium at Tarkwa Na Aboso, the Mine still provided small town water supply systems and toilet facilities in all their host communities.
According to Madam Ansere-Bioh, this year the company spent GH ￠117,000.00 on the programme and was hopeful that residents in their host communities would continue to practice proper hygiene and keep their surroundings clean to prevent diseases such as malaria and cholera among others.
Mr Jerry Kuma, Water and Sanitation (WATSAN), committee team representative at Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality, commended Gold Fields for the interest shown in the promotion of sanitation issues in the Mines host communities.
The WATSAN committee team representative of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Reverend Kojo Johnson, appealed to every community to set up the WATSAN committee and invite his outfit to train the members to help inculcate in the citizens, the need to keep their environment clean at all times.
GNA