Government urged to provide tools for environmental cleanliness

Officers assigned to enforce laws governing environmental sanitation must execute their official duties without fear or favour to instill high sense of discipline in the people.

Mr Wonderful Ghartey, SHAPP Attitude Ghana Director made the call at a forum to commemorate this year’s constitution (Citizenship) week celebration on the broad theme “Ghana, Our People: Our Values, Our Sovereignty in participatory Democracy”, and Sub theme “A Clean Ghana Our Responsibilities”.

The forum was jointly organised by Effutu Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Theatre for Development studies of the University of Education, Winneba, (UEW).

The Mr. Ghartey said the Country would only develop if Ghanaians changed their attitude and behavior towards a number of issues including; sound environmental practices to save people from contracting avoidable deaths due to the outbreak of communicable diseases.

Mr Joseph Abban, Director of Effutu NCCE, assured Ghanaians that the NCCE would continue to sensitise the people on their rights and responsibilities under the constitution for them to be fully aware and participate in national development programmes and defend their rights against abuse.

He stated that their concern as civic educators was to help deal with the high level of corruption in the Country and regretted that many people could still not estimate the full implications and cost of corruption in the society and the state as a whole.

He expressed the hope that educating school children at tender ages would endear them to their civic rights and responsibilities to lead them in the crusade against unpatriotic practices that inhibit the Country's progress and development.

A drama performed by students of the Theatre for Development Studies emphasised the need for all to contribute their quota to ensure a clean and safe country.

Some participants recalled the recent floods in some parts of the country that had claimed lives and caused extensive damages to property due to chocked gutters and drains as well as blockage of water ways due to haphazard spatial development.

They called on the authorities and all stakeholders to be up and doing and stop practices that destroyed the Country's environment and stifled development.

Later, ‘cleanliness ambassadors’ nominated by the participatory schools were inaugurated.