Assembly to reward clean council areas

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), June 26, GNA - The Dormaa District Assembly is to reward the cleanest and greenest urban, town and area council in the district with development projects during this year's national farmers day.

Therefore, the assembly has tasked the councils to evolve pragmatic sanitation and greening agenda that would make them eligible for the honour.

Squadron Leader Ben Anane-Asamoah (RTD), the District Chief Executive, said this when he launched a greening and sanitation programme for the district as part of activities marking Ghana's golden jubilee.

"Under the programme, every urban, town and area council will draw its own criteria within the framework of the assembly's programme to encourage basic hygiene and tree planting in all communities", the DCE said.

Squadron Leader Anane-Asamoah said the assembly had approved a budget for the Dormaa Traditional Council to initiate and supervise the planting of trees along the banks of water bodies.

"It is the vision of the assembly to see visible signs of healthy sanitation and improved greenery within the next two years", he said, adding the assembly had picked the last Friday of every quarter for communal labour in all communities.

He said the programme required every household, office or institution to regularly clean surrounding gutters to promote cleanliness.

Mr. Odamey Antiri, chairman of the assembly's sub-committee on greening Ghana, attributed the district's rapid environmental degradation to over-grazing, illegal chainsaw operations, over-logging and bad farming practices.

Mr Chou-En-Lai Paul Ankomah, chairman of the district anti-bushfire task force, said organized hunting of game had impacted negatively on the environment in the district.

He said the hunters often clear large portions of land, destroying trees and called for a ban on the practice.