By James Esuon
Agona Swedru (C/R), Mar 2, GNA – Mr. Ekow Panyin Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, has advised shop and store owners in the Agona Swedru Central Business District to always keep their surroundings clean to ensure enhanced environmental sanitation.
He cautioned them to desist from the habit of dumping refuse into gutters and drains in their frontage to avert cholera outbreak and other communicable diseases.
Mr Eduamoah made the call when he joined the residents of Agona Swedru, including chiefs to undertake a five hour clean-up exercise at Swedru in the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region.
The Minister spoke against the despicable act whereby shop and store owners, and passers-by threw plastic wastes and rubbish into drains and expected the District Assembly to spend huge amounts that could be used to undertake development projects, to clear the refuse.
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has since February, directed all District Assemblies throughout the country to partner stakeholders to embark on monthly clean-up exercises as part of the efforts to kick out cholera and other communicable diseases.
The Minister urged the traders not to hide in their houses during the monthly clean-up exercises and reopen immediately the exercise was over, urging them to endeavour to partake in the exercise.
Mr Eduamoah called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to liaise with chiefs to stop scrap dealers from keeping their scrap waste materials at the outskirts of towns and urban areas, which posed unclean environment in their respective areas.
He applauded the chiefs of Agona Swedru for their high sense of responsibility and the good initiative of monthly clean-up exercise and expressed the hope that the residents would rally behind the Assembly to ensure environmental tidiness.
The Minister charged the clergy to include sanitation into their sermons, whenever they mounted the pulpit to educate congregants about the importance of cleanliness.
Nana Kweku Esieni V, the Regent of Agona Swedru applauded the Regional Minister for joining the exercise despite his busy schedule.
The Regent who is also the Nifahene of Swedru announced that the Swedruman Council in collaboration with the Agona West Assembly had banned traders from doing business at the main lorry park to save life and property.
He further warned that henceforth any trader caught selling at the lorry station would have her food items seized and donated to orphanage.
Also shop owner’s who failed to participate in the clean-up exercise on Saturday, March 1, 2025 would be summoned to appear before the Swedruman Council to explain the reasons for their absence to the chiefs.
Mr Frank Yeboah, the immediate past Presiding Member of the Agona West Municipal Assembly commended the Minister of Local Government for reintroducing the monthly clean-up exercise by the MMDAs.
He said the sustainability of the monthly exercise would go a long way not only to keep the environment clean but also prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
The NDC members in the Agona West and Gomoa Central Constituencies poured out in their numbers to participate in the clean-up exercise to give moral support to the Regional Minister and the Assembly.
GNA