Accra, Jan 17, GNA -The Ghana Environmental Health Officers Association (GEHOA) has held its 8th Quadrennial Delegates Congress at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital with a called on all Environmental Health Officers to avail themselves and join the Association.
“Although the Practitioners in Ghana are estimated to be over Seven Thousand (7000) working at various Assemblies, less than Two Thousand (2000) belong to the Ghana Environmental Health Officers Association”.
This was in a statement signed by Mr Paul Kwesi Nutsugah Jnr and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
According to the statement, delegates were made up of those in good standing in the Association from all the Branches of the Association; the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources led by Mr. Sampson Akwetey, the Director of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate, the Regional level by the Regional Environmental Health Officers (REHOs) of all the 16 Regions led by the Dean of REHOs and Ashanti Regional Environmental Health Officer; Mr. J.Y Donkor.
Others were from the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Environmental Health Offices and Directors of Waste Management Department of the Assemblies, the Principals of the three (3) Schools of Hygiene and their respective Student’s Representative Council (SRC) Presidents.
It was on the theme: “Positioning the Environmental Health Practice towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond”.
Mr Nutsugah according to the statement called for the strengthening of the existing collaboration among Management, the training institutions and the Association to ensure unity to attain the SDGs and beyond since the Health of the Environment was key towards attainment of several other global commitments including the One Health Concept of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Mrs. Basilia Adu-Wusu, the Executive Secretary of the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organization in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) who chaired the function expressed appreciation and pledged the support of its members across the country towards the working with the Environmental Health Officers and other related organizations with shared mandate through the development sustainable partnership models that would help in the acceleration of the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He cited the series of advocacy efforts they were engaging the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources towards the establishment of the National Sanitation Authority (NSA).
Prof. Peter Appiah Obeng, an Associate Professor and head of the Department of Water and Sanitation, University of Cape Coast, Ghana underscored the need for the Environmental Health Practitioners in Ghana to position themselves well to benefit from the existing opportunities available in Ghana and across the globe.
He urged members in management position to ensure that their decisions were based on evidence acquired through basic research for the Academia and Industry relations to strengthen relations.
On his part, Mr. Sampson Akwetey, the National Director of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources assured delegates that the Ministry is trying very hard for the establishment of the National Sanitation Authority in spite of the current economic challenges and conditions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and assured them that his office is working with its key stakeholders to ensure that all the bottlenecks identified at various platforms are addressed, he also advice delegates to explore opportunities provided in the academic institutions in Ghana including the Accra School of Hygiene’s introduction of Bachelors of Science Degree to upgrade themselves and mentioned that the office is aware that though those of them in the civil service have been upgraded and properly placed on the payroll, plans are far advance to dialogue with the Office of the Head of Local Government Service for the required code to be provided for officers to be placed in the Analyst grade.
He encouraged delegates that, with the growing demand for higher professional competency, it was important for them to take their professional regulations and accreditation seriously by enrolling with institutions like Allied Health Professional Council, the West African Postgraduate College of Environmental Health (WAPCEH) whose headquarters is in Nigeria and other similar institutions to acquire the recognition in Ghana and other West African sub –region.
The outgoing executives presented awards to individuals and practitioners for their exemplary leadership, wise counsel, mentorship, coaching and role modelling for the practitioners over the years;
The recipients were Mr. W. A Marfo, Mr. Naa Lenason Demedeme, Prof Esi Awuah, Mr Kwame Asiedu Asubonteng, Mr Samuel Akwei Allotey, Dr. Stephen Ntow, Mr Kweku Quansah (FWAPCEH), Col. Robert Gator, Dr. Kwesi Asabre, Mr. Isaac Richmond Mensah (ESQ),Ms. Linda Akumbono (ESQ), Mr. A.Y.O Modoc, Mr Robert Kweku Adjei, Ms. Martha Tia-Adjei and Mr. Sabogu Jerry Yakubu
New executives to run the Association for the next four years were elected.
They are Mr. Emmanuel K Gmanab, President Mr Harrison Yengbe, Vice President, Mr Abdul-Hamin Zakaria, General Secretary, Mr. Daniel Kwaku Daku, Financial Secretary, Ms Charlottee Botchway, Treasurer, Ms Dorcas Abaidoo Quansah- Women Organizer, Mr Balig Thomas Dewinters-Public Relations Officer, Mr Kwame Agyemang- Badu- First Trustee, and Mr Thomas Samwine-Second Trustee.
GNA