Keta: Mr. Wisdom Seade, the Keta Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has urged residents of the municipality to adopt the spirit of clean-up exercise and make it a daily responsibility for a healthy life.
According to Ghana News Agency, maintaining good sanitation is crucial for the health and well-being of individuals and the community as a whole.
Mr. Seade, in a speech delivered during a sanitation day launch at Anlo-Afiadenyigba, emphasized that a clean environment is essential for preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Poor sanitation can lead to the spread of diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid fever, which may be life-threatening if untreated. He stressed that good sanitation is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of age, occupation, or social status, and all individuals, households, and institutions have a role in maintaining good sanitation practices.
He outlined several ways to maintain good sanitation, including proper disposal of waste, regular cleaning of surroundings, and proper use of toilet facilities. Mr. Seade encouraged communities to practice constant and regular communal clean-up exercises and report cases of poor sanitation to the authorities. He highlighted the numerous benefits of good sanitation, such as improved health, increased productivity, and a cleaner environment, which enhances the aesthetic appeal of communities and promotes tourism.
The MCE appealed to chiefs, opinion leaders, stakeholders, heads of institutions, assembly members, and the public to support the clean-up initiative and take ownership of their environment. Community involvement is crucial, he noted, in promoting good sanitation, and participation in clean-up efforts and educating neighbors about the importance of good sanitation is vital.
Mr. Seade urged individuals and groups in various communities to abide by the Assembly’s by-laws and partake in regular communal labor to avoid punishment from the authorities. He stated that the Chief, community leaders, and the zonal councils would lead the clean-up exercise initiative and hold accountable those who do not participate in communal labor.
Togbi Kadzahlo Drabese IV, Dufia and the Paramount Chief of Anlo-Afiadenyigba, welcomed the clean-up initiative and urged adherence to rules and regulations to maintain good sanitation in the area. The chief noted that Anlo-Afiadenyigba and other communities in the Keta Municipality are recognized for maintaining good sanitation and a clean environment, calling for recognition and support.
Mr. Gabriel Kuatsikor, the assembly member of the area, expressed excitement over the exercise and urged other institutions, such as schools, hospitals, and markets, to maintain a good environment to ensure clean premises and proper waste disposal. Participants also expressed satisfaction with the exercise and appealed for adequate tools such as brooms, rakes, and dustbins for the clean-up.
Meanwhile, the MCE has donated Wellington boots, wheelbarrows, cutlasses, and other tools to the community for subsequent exercises while the sanitation day was observed across various communities in the municipality.