Akropong-Akuapem (E/R), Dec. 1, GNA - Children in the Akuapem North District have called on the Assembly to form sanitation committees in the electoral areas to educate and enforce compliance on good sanitation practices.
This, according to the children, would help check reckless disposal of refuse which had led to heaps of rubbish in almost every community in the district.
The children made the request at a mock assembly organized by the African Youth Alliance (AYA), in collaboration with the National Youth Council (NYC) at Akropong-Akuapem on Monday for selected schoolchildren in the district.
In her sessional address, the mock District Chief Executive (DCE), Ms Joyce Abedi, expressed concern about poor environmental and sanitation conditions, bad road networks, poor educational standards and a rise in drug abuse, as major problems affecting the youth in the district.
She suggested that assembly members should be put in charge of the sanitation committees in their respective communities so that the DCE could have a direct and effective supervision of the work of the committee to ensure that sanitation was improved.
Ms Abedi indicated that the sanitation problem was not only causing poor health in the area, but it had also contributed to poor educational standards as sick children were often out of school.
She noted that drug abuse among the youth was also a grave issue for the people in the area and called on the Assembly to organize community durbars to educate children on the effects of drugs on their future. Parents should also stop the use of drugs, unless prescribed by a qualified practitioner.
The mock assembly, which was the second to be organized in the Eastern Region, was to offer the children the opportunity to present their views on issues affecting their communities.
The DCE, Dr Eugenia Danquah Quist, who received a resolution adopted at the end of the discussion, said she was satisfied with the issues raised by the children in seeking to improve upon the environment.
She said though the performance of the district in the recent BECE results was poor, the way and manner the children presented their issues and debated on them "gives me hope that all is not lost and that you need just a little push from home", she said.
The DCE assured the children that all the concerns raised and the suggestions would be given the needed attention so that they improved upon their education.
