The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, has announced an intensified campaign to tackle poor sanitation and flooding in the region, warning that environmental laws will be strictly enforced to protect lives and property ahead of the expected heavy rains.
He made this known when he launched a region-wide clean-up exercise on National Sanitation Day last Saturday.
Dr Amoakohene described the initiative as the start of a sustained sanitation programme being undertaken by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Dredge Masters Limited and all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the region.
The exercise was carried out simultaneously across several locations, with Zoomlion teams deployed to areas such as Airport Roundabout, Krofrom, Kaase, Asokore Mampong, Atonsu, Breman UGC and Kronum-Aboahia, as well as other flood-prone communities. Drains and waterways were desilted to improve the flow of stormwater and reduce the risk of flooding.
Dr Amoakohene said the intervention had become necessary following recent flooding incidents that resulted in loss of lives and extensive damage to property.
He noted that inspections conducted across the region revealed drains heavily choked with plastics, wood, silt and household waste, posing a serious threat as the rainy season intensifies.
He attributed the situation largely to indiscriminate waste disposal and urged residents to adopt responsible sanitation practices. According to him, the government cannot continue to spend huge public resources clearing drains that are repeatedly blocked through human negligence.
The Minister announced that sanitation enforcement would be strengthened through Environmental Health and Sanitation Inspecting Officers.
He added that residents who provide credible information leading to the arrest of persons engaged in illegal dumping would continue to receive rewards under the region’s whistleblower programme. He disclosed that a number of offenders have already been convicted and sentenced to custodial terms ranging from 14 to 30 days.
Supporting the initiative, the Managing Director of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mrs Doris Kwekwor Adjei, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving environmental sanitation through its corporate social responsibility programmes.
She said the company had deployed heavy equipment, operational vehicles and personnel across the region to support the exercise.
Mrs Adjei also indicated that Zoomlion would undertake fumigation in flood-affected communities to prevent the outbreak of diseases associated with stagnant water and accumulated waste.
She expressed sympathy to victims of the recent floods and urged Ghanaians to make sanitation a daily responsibility.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, said the exercise forms part of the President’s directive designating the first Saturday of every month as National Sanitation Day.
He noted that the Assembly had been carrying out intensive desilting operations since March in preparation for the above-normal rainfall forecast for this year.
According to him, sanitation enforcement across the metropolis would be intensified from Monday, July 6, with inspection teams expected to visit homes and communities to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
Mr Boadi cautioned against attempts to politicise the exercise, stressing that the Assembly remains committed to enforcing the law fairly while safeguarding the lives and well-being of residents.
Dr Amoakohene used the occasion to call on traditional authorities, assembly members, community leaders and residents to support the campaign actively, emphasising that government alone cannot achieve a clean environment without the cooperation of citizens.
He expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among public institutions, private sector partners and local communities would significantly reduce flooding and improve environmental sanitation in the region. END
BY TIMES REPORTER
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