The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin and the Okyeman Environment Foundation (OEF), in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, organised a clean-up exercise on Monday, at Kyebi in the Eastern Region.
The clean-up exercise climaxed activities which included health screening, church service, and awards day that were organised to commemorate the 71st birthday of the Okyenhene.
The exercise was also meant to improve the sanitation condition of the town and to encourage behavioural change among residents towards maintaining a more hygienic and sanitised environment for the benefit of the people of Kyebi.
Members of the OEF joined hands with workers of Zoomlion to clean gutters and clear areas of rubbish within the principal areas of the town.
Speaking after the exercise, the Okyenhene noted that it was necessary to keep a clean environment for good health and urged the people to maintain proper sanitation habits.
He revealed that the traditional council and the OEF would collaborate with the Abuakwa South Assembly to provide waste bins at vantage points “so that people can dump their waste wherever they find themselves.”
“Anybody found to litter the compound with rubbish would be arrested and fined because we cannot always have to leave the cleaning of our environment to Zoomlion.
It should be our collective responsibility,” he stated.
He called on residents of the town to report to the Abuakwa Traditional Council if they found anybody indiscriminately cutting down trees or pouring hot water on trees, adding anyone found culpable would be dealt with.
“Trees come with several benefits including providing shade, clean air and environment among others and we urge all residents to desist from cutting trees but rather plant them,” he said.
He said Kyebi has remained a clean city and urged all residents to help maintain the place as a clean town.
He expressed his appreciation to Zoomlion for their support and continuous collaboration with other assemblies to rid the country of filth.
The Executive Secretary of the OEF, Kofi Gyimah Amoako, said the clean-up exercise would be maintained, adding that every household would be required to do clean-up once a month while Zoomlion would be in charge of the collection bits.
He called on corporate bodies to partner with OEF to do such exercises to help keep the town clean for good health and for tourists attractions.
For his part, the Senior Corporate Affairs Officer of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Daniel Ohene Obeng, said the exercise was part of similar ones organised in other parts of the region to draw the public’s attention to the worsening sanitation conditions.
He said the clean-up exercise would ensure free flow of water in the gutters to avoid flooding and to make sure that the environment is clean.
Mr Obeng called for the participation of all and sundry in making the Eastern Region clean and pleaded with the members of the community to embark on regular clean-up exercises to keep their environment clean and free from flooding.
“I also appeal that dustbins provided would be used for the intended purpose,” he said.