Fortland Foundation Ghana (GFF) a civil society organization based in the Western Region of Ghana, on Monday met with association members of over the counter medicine sellers in Prestea in the Western Region.

The meeting was primarily staged to discuss activities hampering the environment in the mining area, and consequently development.

According to the officers of the foundation, an urban area like Prestea, has been one of the environmentally problematic jurisdictions in West Africa since all sectors of the physical environment have been polluted by mining activities including illegal mining popularly called 'Galamsey' and now worsening by ordinary human activities.

They highlighted on their mission and vision whilst linking it to the reason for the gathering, stating that the foundation was basically into Environmental Education and Research to foster urban resilience.

Mr Augustine Sakyi and Ransford Kwakye, the senior and field technicians of the foundation respectively brought to bear a list of outstanding activities executed by the foundation since its inception over a year ago.

From inter school quizzes, organization of clean up exercises, tree planting exercises, the state of our Environment Research Project, workshops for trainees and apprenticeships and meeting congregants of many religious bodies to mention a few.

Adding to the list of activities, Augustine Sakyi, the senior field technician highlighted that, the foundation was currently undertaking a Plastic Waste Cycle Project within the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality aimed at reducing drastically the plastic waste from the streets, drains and households.

He continued by saying that their plan was to distribute plastic waste bins along the principal streets and junctions where pedestrians may make waste and put them in these bins.

Motor tricycles (aboboyaa) shall come around to empty the bins every day for free.

The foundation, he noted was therefore calling on corporate organizations, chiefs and individuals to support the project to sanitize the environment through proper management of solid waste menace in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality (PHM).



The visionary, and versatile Managing Director of the Foundation, Mr. Ebenezer Yiwo, commenced his address by acknowledging the foreign collaborators of the Foundation especially, Dr. Jorge Rodriquez Hernandez, Dr. Daniel Espino Jato and Marta Vila Cortavitarte for their immense contributions to the endeavors of the Foundation.

As for him, he said, he may not stop blaming Christians in Ghana for being hypocrites and sole defaulters of the rule as far as environmental sustainability was concerned and would remain prominent.

He stressed “as Christians, cleanliness is next to Godliness and fortunately over 75% of the nation’s population are Christians including myself”.

Nevertheless, the contradictory is still prevailing. If indeed we understand why we are called by that name (Christians), we would have considered it suicidal polluting the environment in whichever way. If such cleanliness is the conscience of the majority of the populace, then naturally the physical environment would have been GREEN and CLEAN", he suggested.

Mr Yiwo exclaimed in the local dialect, a slogan of the association “Nkwa!!! And the audience responded momentously Nkwa Hia!!!” meaning Life is Essential.

With our slogan, he said, I am certain that a formidable alliance should be established between these two bodies since both share common sentiments.

The only variation between us is that one is working on disease preventive actions and the other curative approach. Disease is the foe that we are both (GFF & Organization) directly or indirectly battling to mitigate it, hence keeping society resilient.

"We encourage all and sundry to join the GREEN REVOLUTION CAMPAIGN by all abilities as possible. The rampant gold refineries in various households emitting hazardous gaseous compounds in the air are avoidable if you support us to say big NO to that", he added.

In his conclusion, the selfless enterprising CEO, quoted His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo “Let Us Be Citizens, Not Spectators” because this blessed nation is ours and we owe a responsibility to keep it safe.

The chairman of the occasion, Mr. Archer popularly known as Morning Star in the Municipality, gave a standing ovation to the Foundation and used the opportunity to encourage sanity on our lands, open drains and households.

He expressed concerns over growing solid and liquid wastes management in the purlieu.

As for him, the local sanitation pedigree was low and discouraging for a renowned urban community like Prestea.

Mr. Adjar, a known Elder of the Pentecost Church and an Executive Member of the association of over the counter medicine sellers, questioned the experts on noise as a nuisance emanating from the recent local FMs and the way forward in many areas of the town.

His disheartening expression awakened many persons who were present to ask many related questions and the Foundation’s executives suggested potential solution approaches to curb the menaces.