Yilo Krobo paramountcy, Church of Ghana hold massive clean-up to keep Somanya clean

The Yilo Krobo Traditional Council in the Eastern Region has in a collaboration with the Church of Pentecost, Ghana, and other church groups has conducted a massive clean-up exercise to get rid of debris in the Municipal Capital, Somanya.

The activity was the first of a planned monthly clean-up exercise to be held on the last Saturday of every month. The Paramount chief of the Yilo Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Oklepeme Nuer Anorbaa Sasraku II, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) For Yilo Krobo, NPP Eastern Regional First Vice Chairman, Dr. Richard Twum Barimah Koranteng and some members of the organizing committee led residents including men and women, young and old to partake in the more than four-hour exercise.

At the end of the rigorous activity, many choked gutters and drains were desilted, debris were removed and swept, as well as the cleaning of the streets and evacuation of a major refuse dump at Sra. Contrary to many clean-up exercises elsewhere where debris cleared are left on the shoulders of the
road and on the edges of gutters, the refuse cleared were collected and dumped appropriately.

Dubbed “falefale peemi; cleanliness is next to godliness,” the clean-up exercise received an appreciable turn out which covered various areas such as the roundabout, community center, and many major streets.

Speaking in an interview with Journalists after the close of the exercise, a member of the organizing committee, Mr. Beneth Yaovi Apoh expressed satisfaction at the organizers’ efforts at complementing the efforts of government to rid the community off filth and debris in order to prevent flooding and health hazards that comes from poor sanitation.

According to him, the event wouldn’t just be centered at municipal capital but would in subsequent months be spread to other parts of the municipality such as Klo-Agogo, Nkurakan, etc.

Mr. Apoh however appealed to Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly to provide dustbins for individual homes and also placed at vantage points in the communities for residents.

Though the organizing committee member expressed satisfaction at the turn-out on the day, he was nevertheless hopeful that more residents would come out to partake in the subsequent cleanup exercises.

He called on residents to heed to the biblical principle of cleanliness being next to godliness to ensure that their surroundings are clean. Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Yilo Krobo, Eric Tetteh said the sanitation situation in the municipality could be improved, adding that the exercise will be sustained to achieve the ultimate goal.

He urged residents to ensure that their surroundings were kept clean at all times. “This exercise isn’t just for today but must be continued. After today’s exercise, those with shops around the gutters must ensure that people don’t dump refuse into them because the Assembly will deal with them”, said the Assemblyman.

Mr. Tetteh said the Assembly will rely on the newly gazetted by-laws which empowers the Assemblies to prosecute offenders to take legal action against sanitation offenders. He was hopeful that the Assembly would continue to collaborate with sanitation giants, Zoomlion Ghana Limited to ensure massive clean ups whenever there’s the need to.

According to him, the Assembly was in the process of putting in place measures to segregate waste generated in the area for other uses. A resident, Lawrencia Yeboah after the activity said she was pleased to partake in the exercise and
underscored the need for such cleanups to rid the community of filth.

The paramount chief, nene as part of the exercise, sponsored the renewal of hundreds of national health insurance card holders to enable them access free healthcare.