Malaria Kills More Than Aids

"With our environment as bad as this, malaria can kill more than AIDS," said Mr. Kenneth Theophilus Tetty Assemblyman of Odorkor Electoral Area of Ablekuma sub-metro in an interview with ADM.

Mr. Tetty sad the bad sanitation in his area has caused blockage of the drains. "People throw their refuse everywhere and anyhow including the drains which get choked eventually, even though there are bins."

He appealed to the government to give the assemblymen their allowances directly instead of waiting for them to go to meetings before they are given, so that they can be used for basic development.

He suggested that government appointees should be attached to the various electoral areas to help the assembly members in their work. "I am appealing to the government to have the sub-metro elections and to give government appointees to various electoral areas to assist assembly men in doing their work.

"The government has also promised to construct two of our roads to help ease the problem of floods and traffic jam on our roads."

He lamented the number of school dropouts in the area, which has resulted in an increase in children selling on the streets. He attributed this to the inability of parents to send their children to school because of poverty. "Odokor is an overpopulated area with the problem of poverty and street children."

He said to improve the situation, "I have linked-up with a non-governmental organisation called PUT A SMILE to help my youth with skills like weaving, sewing, batik making, and others.

"With the help of my youth clubs as well, I have being organising clean-ups every two weeks to tidy up the environment."

He said even though there is one government school in the area with the rest being private, "due to poverty, children from my area don't attend the school but rather people from elsewhere. I am in the process of establishing an Educational Endowment Fund to help the needy ones continue with their education."

Mr. Kenneth Theophilus Tetty is self-employed. He says of his community, "I have no problem with my people, but after voting me into power as their assemblyman, some do not involve themselves in any plans concerning the area. I know that with the little development projects such as clean-ups, giving the youth skills, construction of our roads, clearing of drains, and helping school drop outs go back to school; in a few months time, Odorkor will be a better place to live."