By Isaac Newton Tetteh, GNA
Kpone, May 03, GNA – Mr Samuel Tetteh Kwashie Morton, the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has underscored the importance of the monthly National Sanitation Day, calling on residents to actively participate in keeping the Kpone Laaloi Beach clean to protect public health and boost tourism.
Speaking during the May edition of the sanitation exercise held at the Kpone Laaloi Beach, Mr Morton said the beach remained a key tourist attraction with the potential to enhance the local economy if properly maintained.
“The Kpone Laaloi Beach is not only a recreational centre but also a source of livelihood for many fisherfolk and traders in this municipality. It is therefore our shared responsibility as both the Municipal Assembly and residents to ensure the place is always kept clean,” he said.
The MCE warned that the Assembly would not hesitate to apply punitive measures against individuals who dump refuse indiscriminately along the coastline. He described such acts as “primitive” and unacceptable in a modern municipality.
He further stressed that sanitation was a collective duty and not the sole preserve of the Assembly, urging community leaders and residents to change their attitude towards waste disposal.
On his part, Mr George Freeman, the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Environmental Health Officer, disclosed that the Assembly would activate its by-laws on sanitation to sanction offenders.
Mr Freeman noted that the government spends huge sums of money annually to evacuate refuse from open spaces and drains, a practice he described as detrimental to national development.
“The money used in evacuating refuse could have been channelled into other developmental projects such as roads, schools and health facilities. We must stop this wasteful expenditure by adopting responsible waste management practices,” he stated.
The sanitation exercise, which saw assembly officials, environmental health staff, youth groups and residents clearing plastic waste and debris along the beachfront, is held on the first Saturday of every month across the country to promote a clean and healthy environment.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Isaac Newton Tetteh, GNA