C/R chiefs pledge support for sanitation day exercise

The chiefs and other traditional authorities in Central Region, have pledged their support to the ninth National Sanitation Day exercise, being hosted by the region on August 1.

Preparations are underway for a successful execution of the exercise instituted by Ministry of Local Government and Rural Integration.

The pledged was made when the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Edwin Nii Lamptey Vanderpuye paid a courtesy call on the chiefs as part of activities aimed at ensuring a successful execution of the exercise.

Nana Kojo Appiah III, Omanhene of Denkyira stated that bad sanitation practices are not part of the country’s culture and traditions and it is time for people to get involved for Ghana to be the accorded the respect and dignity that it deserves so far as cleanliness is concern.

He called for the re-introduction and an effective implementation of the “old town council system” where officers went to the field to inspect the sanitary conditions of homes and surroundings and punished defaulters.

He complaint that traditional rulers have been relegated to the background by successive governments so far as local governance is concerned, which he said is the reason for the gross grass root indiscipline in the country.

Nana Appiah therefore called on the government to collaborate with the traditional rulers for governance at the local level to be effective.

Mr Vanderpuye asked Ghanaians to desist from the habit of littering around haphazardly and make sanitation a major concern as its eventual effects are unpleasant.

He expressed optimism that Ghana could become one of the cleanest countries in the world by the end of 2015, despite reports that it is one of the top 10 dirtiest countries in the world.

Mr. Vanderpuye interacted with heads of government institutions and agencies in some of the districts in the region and called on them to participate in the exercise to make it a success.