Rawlings commends students for cleanliness

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has commended students of the Mamfe Methodist Girls’ High School and students across the country for their sense of discipline in keeping their environment clean and tidy.

He said where there are adults, the police, sanitation inspectors and courthouses, the environments are always filthy and expressed the conviction that the introduction of sanitation enforcement by President Nana Akufo-Addo recently, would ensure a higher sense of social responsibility.

“Let us hope that this will bring about the neat and tidy hygienic transformation we want to see in this country,” Mr Rawlings said when he addressed the 4th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the Mamfe Methodist Girls High School at Mamfe Akuapem on Saturday.

Mr. Rawlings, who was a Special Guest at the ceremony, said though the students have no police, sanitation inspectors or courthouses to prosecute errant ones, the environment is always kept clean due to the sense of discipline inculcated in students.

Flt Lt Rawlings said as a young Air Force pilot, whenever he flew over towns and villages, he noticed beautifully manicured patches along his flight path and discovered that most of these patches were actually well-kept environments of schools.

He called on the students to transfer the positive sanitation habits they learn at school to their various communities.

“The habits that you inculcate in yourselves please take these habits to your living environments so that we can help to educate our communities. You don’t even get paid for keeping this place tidy because of the structure – the relationship between yourselves, your prefects, and the authorities.

Mr. Rawlings also urged adolescent girls not to pay attention to their self-consciousness at the expense of their mental consciousness and development.

“The time you have to tap into your mental consciousness and pass your examinations to enter the university is so short and I don’t want you to regret not having taken yourselves a little more seriously. Do not take things for granted, do not take yourself for granted. Make the most of yourself when you have the time,” the former President counselled, according to a statement signed by Kobina Andoh Amoakwa of the Communications Directorate of Mr Rawlings’ office.