By Gilbert Azeem Tiroog, GNA
Bolgatanga, Sep. 20, GNA – Mr Roland Atanga Ayoo, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has declared an all-out war on poor sanitation in the municipality, pledging to restore the town’s clean image through the creation of a special Sanitation Task Force.Â
Speaking to journalists after inspecting a refuse disposal site outside the municipality, the MCE said heavy rains had worsened the situation as waste trucks were unable to access the site, leading to indiscriminate dumping of refuse by smaller vehicles.
“Until yesterday this was where the rubbish got to, and you could no longer go further. Some of the heavy cars came in and, in an attempt, to pour, they got stuck.
“So, I decided there was a need to do the pushing, which was done yesterday. As you can see, the area is now a bit open and vehicles can come in and go further,” Mr Ayoo explained.
He noted that the intervention had cleared the way for more trucks to evacuate waste from town to the designated dump site, easing the build-up of garbage in Bolgatanga.
Mr Ayoo said sanitation was now the municipality’s top priority and that the newly established Sanitation Task Force would design strategies, enforce by-laws and ensure residents adhered to strict hygiene standards.
“The task force is principally mandated to come up with plans, programmes and strategies, and then see how best we can apply our by-laws strictly so that people will adhere to sanitation rules and regulations. The result is that we want Bolga to become neat, sanitized, and a good place for human habitation,” he stated.
The MCE emphasized that sanitation was a shared responsibility and appealed to traditional leaders, religious institutions, market women, youth groups, opinion leaders, and the wider public to contribute to the effort.
“Cleanliness is for all; it is not for individuals. When we keep Bolga neat it is going to benefit everybody. Whether you are a food seller, a banker, an engineer, an MCE or a director, we must all play a key role in keeping Bolga neat,” he stressed.
He added that his ongoing engagement with churches, mosques and traditional authorities was part of a broader campaign to rally community support against poor sanitation.
“My message was on sanitation, and it was a call on them to take part. Any disease that results from filth has no respect for persons. It can affect a doctor or any other professional. That is why sanitation must be seen as a collective and shared responsibility,” Mr Roland said.
The MCE assured residents that with the support of all stakeholders, Bolgatanga would reclaim its reputation as one of the cleanest towns in Ghana.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali .Kenneth Odeng Adade