By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Anloga (V/R), Oct. 30, GNA-The Anloga District Assembly in the Volta Region has called on residents, traditional authorities, traders, transport operators and other stakeholders to participate in a district-wide clean-up exercise on November 2, ahead of the 2026 Hogbetsotso Festival.
The exercise would form part of the Assembly’s continued efforts to improve public health, promote environmental cleanliness and prepare communities across the district for the annual Hogbetsotso Festival, celebrated by the chiefs and people of Anlo.
Madam Sendra Seyram Kpedor, the Anloga District Chief Executive (DCE), who participated in an earlier exercise which came ahead of the major one on November 2, urged residents to mobilise and participate actively in the exercise to ensure that communities remained clean, safe and welcoming ahead of the festival, which would attract visitors from different parts of the country and beyond.
“The initiative is also in line with the national observance of the 11th Edition of National Sanitation Day, which seeks to encourage collective responsibility for sanitation and environmental protection,” she noted.
Areas earmarked for the exercise include desilting community gutters, cleaning the frontages of homes and shops, and clearing public spaces to improve sanitation and prevent the accumulation of refuse.
Other activities would involve the cleaning of markets, beaches, schools, churches, parks and drainage systems, as part of measures to promote a healthier environment throughout the district.
She emphasised that maintaining a clean environment was a shared responsibility and called on residents, community leaders, youth groups, traders and other organised groups to contribute to the success of the exercise.
“The clean-up exercise will help reduce sanitation-related health risks, improve drainage and prevent the spread of diseases associated with poor waste management, particularly during the festival period when human activities in the area were expected to increase.”
The Assembly further announced that all shops were expected to remain closed until 1000 hours on the day of the exercise, after which they could reopen while drivers would also be required to park their vehicles and participate fully in the exercise.
The Assembly further warned that persons who failed to comply with the directives would face appropriate sanctions in accordance with the sanitation laws of Ghana and urged residents to treat the exercise as a civic responsibility rather than an optional activity.
They also called for particular attention to communities within the Central Anloga Township, as well as basic and second-cycle schools across the district and charged District Director of the Ghana Education Service to ensure strict compliance by all affected schools.
School authorities, teachers, students and other relevant institutions were encouraged to collaborate with their respective communities to support the exercise and sustain the gains made in environmental sanitation.
The Assembly expressed appreciation to residents and stakeholders for their continued cooperation and commitment to building a cleaner and healthier Anloga District, urging them to maintain good sanitation practices beyond the exercise to ensure a welcoming environment for the 2026 Hogbetsotso Festival.
The Ghana News Agency further gathered that the move was to maintain a cleaner and healthier environment ahead of Anlo Hogbetsotso festival which is expected to run through the first week of November, while visitors from different parts of the country are expected to grace the historic occasion.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah