Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has urged heads of department and staff of the assemblies to protect and promote the integrity of the country to ensure development.

He appealed to them to prioritise sanitation issues in their various localities to prevent the outbreak of diseases, maintain and promote environmental and public health.

Alhaji Dauda gave the advice when he addressed Assin North Municipal and Assin South Districts in the Central Region on Wednesday.

He said heads of department in the metropolitan, municipal and districts should operate and take decisions with their rich experiences that would empower their staff to promote development.

Alhaji Dauda was speaking as part of efforts towards the ninth National Sanitation Day (NSD) being hosted in the region.

The Ministry for Local Government and Rural Development instituted the day to change the attitude of Ghanaians towards the indiscriminate dumping of refuse and littering in the country and is slated for the for first Saturday of every month.

The Minister and his two deputies Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, MP for Odododiodio and Mr Emmanuel Kwadjo Agyekum, MP for Nkoranza South and all the directors of the ministry moves to every host region of the NSD.

This is to bring governance to the doorsteps of the citizenry and to ascertain first hand information on what is happening at the local level, know the problems of the people and to find lasting solutions to the problems.

Alhaji Dauda who is also the MP for Asutifi South (MP) said it is the duty of every citizen to protect and clean the environment of which he or she lives and to promote development.

He therefore reiterated government commitment to support traditional authorities to reinvigorate the habit of communal labour in order to promote public and environmental health in the country.

He said the introduction of the NSD was in the right direction as it would help spark the spirit of the people every month to clean their environment and pledged the ministry’s commitment to give the exercise the needed support to make it succeed.

Alhaji Dauda said government is coming out with laws and bye law by assemblies to prosecute the people who litter around to serve as a deterrent to others in order to control the indiscriminate dumping of refuse and promote good health.

Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, Regional Minister and MP for Mfantsiman said the region would be adjudged the best among the regions in the NSD and expressed the hope that the exercise would change the mindsets of Ghanaians towards good sanitation practices.

Nana Afransie IV, Acting Paramount Chief of Afutuakwa called on government to empower traditional authorities to deal with people who commit sanitation crimes in order to bring sanity into the society to control the outbreak of diseases.

Nana Kyeremanteng Krompe, Krotihene of Assin Fosu said there was news about the town that it was engulfed with filth and there is the need to reverse the trend.

Omanhene of Assin Apemanim , Barima Kwame Nkyi called on government, especially the Ministry of Education to re-introduce the inspection of personal hygiene and environmental health staff to the localities to check insanitary practices .

Nana Kwantwi Barima II, Acting President of Assin Atindaso Traditional Area said filth causes diseases and kills and “this reminds us as citizens of our duty and responsibility to protect our environment”.

He appealed to the Ministry to provide more litter bins to the assembly to be positioned at vantage points.

Dr Kofi Blankson Assin North Municipal and Kwabena Adjie Anumafo, Assin South Chiefs Executives pledged their commitment to ensure the continues engagement of their people in order to ensure the success of the project.