The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has said work is in progress to reclaim the lost glory of Kumasi, particularly the Garden City title.
Mr Mensah gave this assurance as he expressed worry over the poor sanitation in the region.
He was speaking at the 5th edition of the Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen National Dialogue Series themed; Achieving the SDG Goals on Environment and Sanitation in Ghana- The Way forward.
The event was held at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi following recent complaints about the poor sanitation situation in the metropolis, which worsens whenever it rains.
He noted a number of policies have been put in place to deal with sanitation but the lack of attitudinal change on the part of residents is affecting its success.
However, the Minister expressed optimism that if nothing at all, the beauty of the metropolis will be restored through a greening and beautification project which has already commenced.
The components of the project include the provision of dustbins at vantage points, the planting of different species of trees, and the distribution of refuse bins to households among others.
Mr Mensah also announced the beautification of ceremonial roundabouts and the sofoline interchange through paintings and also embark on extensive education on sanitation by-laws.
In this regard, he charged the various Assemblies to be proactive and support the project, cautioning no lackadaisical attitude would be tolerated.
Kumasi used to be very attractive due to the variety of trees and flowers that decorated the metropolis and also served as windbreaks.
The beautification and serene nature earned it the name Garden City of West Africa from the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1961 when she visited the country.
The same cannot be said now, since there has been a massive depletion of the greenery in the city and the vegetative cover due to human activities.
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