Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has pledged his support for the National Sanitation Day (NSD) campaign instituted by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
[contextly_sidebar id=”xQI2KtPkQD0I0azX29jDUvQhXN5d0seV”]He has therefore called on Ghanaians to get support the initiative to promote environmental and public health.
The NSD campaign was launched on September 17, 2014 with the aim of encouraging Ghanaians to clean their environment and control the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in their communities.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu made the pledge when the Minister of Local Government Minister, Julius Debrah, Samuel Sarpong, Ashanti Regional Minister, Kojo Bonsu, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive and Directors of the Ministry presented sanitation equipment to him at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
The equipment includes 10,000 waste bins, wheel barrows, rakes, long brooms, shovels and detergents, which would be distributed among metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, fun clubs and other organisations who would participate in the exercise on Saturday.
The Asantehene called on Ghanaians to take the NSD campaign beyond political lines, adding: “Filth, mosquitoes and death does not know any political figure.”
Otumfuo Osei Tutu said the Asanteman is interested in the best welfare of every Ghanaian and would collaborate with government to promote good environmental and health practices.
Mr Debrah said he recognises the prominent role the Asantehene plays in ensuring good sanitary practices, adding that it is an honour for the Ministry to dedicate the third NSD to him.
Mr Debrah briefed the Asantehene on the key role some private sector institutions play to make the exercise successful.
Mr Sarpong thanked the Asantehene for the support given to the exercise and called on other prominent individuals to emulate the example.
In a related development, the Ghana National Scholarship Beneficiaries Association (GNASBA) has also donated sanitation equipment and kits in support of efforts at keeping Kumasi, the nation’s second largest city clean.
The items included 100 dustbins to be placed at vantage points and large quantity of hand gloves.
It comes barely 24 hours to the second National Sanitation Day, spearheaded by the Local Government and rural Development Ministry to be held in Kumasi.
Mr Baffour Akwasi Oppong, GNASBA National Chairman, handing over the items, alongside 1,000 packs of Fan Dango products to the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Kofi Boakye, said it was the contribution of members to prevent littering.
He said he was confident that the items would help to make the day, set aside to highlight environmental sanitation, a huge success.
The members had made similar donation to the national capital, Accra.
DCOP Boakye thanked the association for the gesture and encouraged others to do the same.
He appealed to the people to participate in the clean-up exercise to rid the city of filth.
He said it is in the interest of everybody to maintain clean and healthy surroundings to prevent disease.
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Source: GNA