Ashaiman, July 28, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), is sensitizing residents of Ashaiman on their civic responsibilities under its Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP).
The ARAP, which is in its third phase in Ghana, is aimed at promoting good governance in Ghana by reducing corruption and improving accountability and compliance with the rule of law.
Ms Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, Ashaiman Municipal Director, NCCE, told the Ghana News Agency that the European Union (EU) supported programme, was focusing on ensuring “Good Environmental Governance practices in the COVID-19 Pandemic era, this year ” by empowering citizens to demand greater accountability in the management of the environment.
Ms Badu said her outfit had so far engaged about 60 identifiable groups in the Municipality, adding that the sensitization was also carried out at the various voter registration centres, markets, churches, and lorry stations.
She said to ensure that all residents were sensitized, the NCCE also made use of street announcements, social media platforms, community information centres as well as the use of electronic media to reach out.
Civic educators, she noted, focused on raising awareness on the coronavirus pandemic, its mode of transmission and various symptoms and the need to strictly adhere to various hygiene protocols.
“The public is encourage to observe the protocols such as observing social distancing, wearing of nose mask, washing of hands with soap under running water and the use of alcohol based sanitizers which have been put in place by the Government and World Health Organization(WHO) to curb the spread of the virus.
“Those who refused to adhere to the directives will be fined as spelt in the Executive Instrument (E.I) 164”.
The public, she said, must shred useds masks, gloves, medical overalls, tissues and other personal protective equipment and tie them in polythene bags before disposing into a bin with cover.
This, she explained, would help curb the spread of the virus and protect children from getting into contact with such materials.
Ms Badu said Ghanaians must complement the work of state institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the various district assemblies in the protection of the environment.
Touching on some challenges, she said many persons still doubted the existence of the coronavirus but was hopeful they would come around.
GNA