The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Mponua, Mr. Issahaq Ibrahim, has issued a stern warning to residents of the district to take sanitation seriously, stressing that poor environmental practices are directly linked to disease, death, and underdevelopment.
Speaking to residents of Nyinahin after leading last Friday’s clean-up exercise, Mr. Ibrahim described poor sanitation as one of the biggest threats to public health, adding that neglecting the environment amounts to endangering lives.
“In our daily lives we generate a lot of filth, and we must ensure that we get rid of it to prevent ourselves from getting sick. Filth kills, it brings sickness, and if we don’t clean our environment, it will end us in the grave,” he cautioned.
Traders Blamed for Low Participation
The DCE expressed disappointment at the low turnout during the exercise, particularly pointing fingers at shop owners and petty traders who deliberately refused to participate. According to him, many of these traders prefer to remain indoors during the exercise, leaving the burden on a few committed individuals.
He also revealed that most traders along the major roads operate without proper permits, yet they resist or disrespect authorities whenever sanitation enforcement is carried out. This, he said, undermines the collective goal of maintaining clean and safe communities.
“This attitude is unacceptable. Sanitation is not optional, it is compulsory. Those who fail to comply will face the full rigors of the law. Let me emphasize that the law itself will work, and when it does, no one will be spared regardless of political affiliation,” Mr. Ibrahim declared.
Sanitation and National Development
Mr. Ibrahim further explained that sanitation is not only about cleanliness but also about development and economic productivity. He said frequent illnesses caused by filth drain household incomes, reduce working capacity, and burden the healthcare system, ultimately slowing down development.
“A clean environment means healthy people, and healthy people drive productivity. If we keep our surroundings clean, we reduce diseases, save money on hospital bills, and attract investors who want to do business in a safe and healthy district,” the DCE added.
Call for Collective Responsibility
The DCE appealed to chiefs, assembly members, youth groups, women’s associations, and religious institutions to rally behind the monthly exercise. He stressed that government alone cannot achieve sustainable sanitation, and only collective responsibility will yield meaningful results.
“Keeping our communities clean is for us, our children, and our future. A healthy people are a prosperous people, and we must all contribute to that goal,” he urged.
Reviving a National Initiative
The reintroduction of the monthly national sanitation exercise, which was first introduced under the late President John Evans Atta Mills but later abandoned, is expected to revive Ghana’s culture of communal cleanliness.
In Atwima Mponua, authorities have pledged to intensify community education, strengthen law enforcement, and sustain the exercise until sanitation discipline becomes part of everyday life.
Though the turnout in Nyinahin was below expectation, Mr. Ibrahim expressed optimism that residents would gradually embrace the initiative when they see its benefits to health and development.
“Sanitation is not just government business, it is everybody’s business. Filth kills, and if we don’t kill filth, it will kill us,” he concluded.
