Educate communities on best sanitary practices

06-01-2011
Chiefs and traditional leaders have been challenged to educate their subjects in their respective areas of jurisdiction on the need to embrace best sanitary practices to prevent an outbreak of an epidemic. The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Harry Epsona Ayamga, who made the call in an interview with Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga, said the education aspect on sanitation in the country still remains a major challenge hence the need to collectively tackle the situation with all the urgency it deserves. He said cleanliness and good sanitary conditions were fundamental human requirements of any development oriented and healthy workforce. He said issues concerning sanitation could not be tackled without the involvement of traditional leaders. Mr. Ayamga, however, entreated traditional leaders to increase public awareness and understanding on the possible effects of poor sanitary practices. He also underscored the urgent need for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to collaborate with the traditional leaders to enact and enforce by-laws on sanitation, since it was the policy objective of the assembly to rid their respective districts of filth. Mr. Ayamga, further charged other major stakeholders to effectively execute their roles to enhance environmental and sanitation at the district levels. This, he explained, is necessary due to the fact that issue on sanitation raises a major concern to all well meaning Ghanaians. He cautioned the public against indiscriminate disposal of waste and open defecation in his district which he said has become a common daily phenomenon. According to him, his outfit is putting in measures to apprehend and prosecute offenders who defecate openly so as to serve as deterrent to others. He also discouraged the establishment of pit latrines adding that the assembly is mapping out strategies to put up adequate toilet facilities for the people. On the issue of housing, Mr Ayamga said plans are far afoot to construct 1,200 affordable housing units in the region. He said all necessary arrangements and consultations has been done with the local government ministry to ensure its realization and appealed to all and sundry to exercise restraint since the issue of lack of accommodation for workers would sonn be a thing of the past in the region. Mr Ayamga therefore appealed to landowners to reserve lands that are lying fallow for the benefit of the said project. Areas identified he noted include Sirigu village ,Dacheo, Sumbrungu and Zuarungu.
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