By Freda Mwini
Wa, (UW/R), July 7, GNA – The Children and Youth in Broadcasting (CYIB) Curious Minds Ghana has led a community clean-up exercise at Mangu, a suburb of Wa, as part of the implementation of the Clean Green Wa Project.
The exercise, which was organised in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, brought together youth volunteers, residents, community leaders, and sanitation workers to desilt choked gutters and clear refuse from public spaces.
Curious Minds Ghana was implementing the Clean Green Wa, a six-month youth-led environmental initiative with funding from the European Union (EU) in partnership with the Global Youth Mobilisation under the Youth Empowerment Fund.
The project was designed to tackle plastic waste pollution and poor sanitation practices within Wa.
Speaking after the exercise, Philip Tengzu, the Upper West Regional Coordinator of Curious Minds Ghana, indicated that the project sought to mobilise young people and communities to adopt responsible waste management practices, with a particular focus on plastic waste management.
The organisation ought to achieve this through schools and community outreach, clean-up campaigns, youth capacity-building, and the establishment of plastic waste collection points to encourage waste segregation and recycling.
Mr Tengzu said indiscriminate plastic waste disposal contributes to environmental degradation, blocked drainage systems, flooding, and increased public health risks, including cholera and other sanitation-related diseases, among others.
He said the project, therefore, aimed to promote a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Wa through youth-led environmental action, plastic waste reduction, sanitation improvement, and public education.
As part of the initiative, at least 20 Youth Environmental Ambassadors would be trained to champion environmental sustainability and equipped with practical skills in plastic recycling and green entrepreneurship.
Mr Tengzu said the initiative was expected to directly benefit about 1,500 people, including at least 500 young people, residents, school children, community leaders in Wa, among others.
“Promoting environmental sustainability and responsible waste management requires the collaborative efforts of all relevant stakeholders, including community leaders, the media, civil society and community members”, he explained.
Mr Sulemani Iddrisu, the Assembly Member for the Mangu Electoral Area, commended Curious Minds Ghana for initiating the intervention, describing it as timely and beneficial to the community.
He said the drainage system in the area had remained clogged for some time without any intervention and expressed appreciation to the organisation for taking the lead in addressing the challenge.
The intervention at Mangu became necessary due to susceptibility of the area to floods because of poor drainage system coupled with poor sanitation practices.
Mr Iddrisu expressed hope that similar initiatives would be in the community to maintain environmental cleanliness in the area.
The Clean Green Wa project sought to contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 13 on Climate Action.
Curious Minds Ghana is a 30-year-old youth-led civil society organisation that promotes meaningful youth participation in development through advocacy, civic engagement, and youth empowerment initiatives.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade