By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Kasseh, April 14, GNA – The Ada East District Environmental Health Department, in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited and assembly members, has organised a cleanup exercise across the district to ensure a clean environment.
The exercise forms part of the National Sanitation Day introduced by President Mahama’s government aimed at making the country clean to prevent the spread of some communicable diseases.
Mr. Frank Opoku Abimah, Ada East District Environmental Health Officer, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the exercise is observed every first Friday of every month to keep the community and environment clean and safe from sicknesses.
Mr. Abimah said even though it was supposed to be held on Fridays, the day is a market for the people in the district; therefore, they need to choose a different day to ensure full participation from residents.
He said the exercise was held simultaneously in towns like Kasseh, Big Ada and Ada Foah, adding that good sanitation practices were declining in the district and urged community members to make sanitation their day-to-day activity.
He lauded some community members who voluntarily joined the cleanup exercises while encouraging those who are adamant to emulate such practices.
Mr. Ebenezer Tetteh Kpodo, Assembly Member for Kasseh Electoral Area, said in the past they made use of the Navy to ensure that residents participated, but the practice had been criticised by many, leading to its suspension, noting, however, that the unwillingness of some community members to participate in the exercise was worrying.
Some of the community members who spoke with GNA declared their readiness to always partake in clean-up exercises, stating that the recent cholera outbreak in the district served as a reminder for them to always clean their environs.
Some of them were also worried about the growing unhygienic practices among some hawkers and food vendors in the district, calling on the district assembly and authorities to enforce by-laws to enhance proper sanitation practice in the district.
GNA
LS/AD