Bring back"lampoo" to ensure a clean environment - Awulae Tu-Agyan

Awulae Agama Tu-Agyan, chief of Bamiankor in the Nzema East District, has called for the enforcement of sanitation bye-laws and the strict collection of levies by the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

He said it was important to re-introduce sanitary inspection, popularly known as “samasama” in the communities to ensure that the environment is always kept clean.

Awulae Tu-Agyan said the enforcement of these bylaws by the MMDA would bring discipline in the tackling of environmental concerns while the little levies commonly called “Lampoo’ would also be used for development and ensure progress in the society.

He said the re-introduction of the homes and community inspection by Sanitary Inspectors of the MMDAs would deter the populace from committing sanitation-related offences and create a healthy and clean society.

Awulae Tu-Agyan said this when he chaired a dialogue session at the ongoing four-day Western Regional Policy Fair held at the Essipong Sports Stadium in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

The Policy Fair is a model created by government to highlight the policies and programmes of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies for the better understanding and appreciation of all Ghanaians.

While the various institutions exhibited their products, the MMDAs used the opportunity to display pictures of projects undertaken in their districts, such as the construction of schools, markets and roads.

The Chief of Bamiankor said if his suggestions were not heeded to, the nation would soon be engulfed in filth and many environmental problems, that would be very expensive for the nation and its development efforts.

He said it was important that levies collected by the MMDAs are channeled into projects that would be seen and known by the electorate and help prevent misunderstandings and discord.

Awulae Tu-Agyan said in the developed countries, levies and contributions were collected to develop the area, and that it would not be out of place to enforce it in our society.

Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, said plans were underway to reconstruct and rehabilitate the deplorable road network in the region to facilitate the transportation of cocoa from the hinterland.

He said the activities of illegal miners had often led to the destruction of the environment and river bodies placing the affected communities in unfortunate situations; adding that, they should be licensed to control their activities.

Other concerns raised at the dialogue session included the establishment of universities, the deplorable road network, illegal mining, teenage pregnancy, failure to pay royalties to traditional authorities and youth unemployment.**