Mr Samuel Tetteh Kwashie Morton, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kpone-Katamanso, on Saturday, defied persistent rains to lead a massive clean-up exercise at Zenu, reaffirming the assembly’s commitment to environmental sanitation and public health.
The exercise, which attracted assembly members, staff of the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly, sanitation officers, community leaders, youth groups and residents, focused on desilting drains, clearing refuse dumps and removing weeds from major roads and public spaces within the community.
Addressing participants during the exercise, Mr Morton said the rain could not stop the assembly from performing its duties and responsibilities to the people.
According to him, the rainy season often exposed a number of environmental challenges within communities, with poor sanitation and choked drains being among the major causes of flooding.
“The rain cannot stop us from carrying out our mandate. In fact, it is during this period that many sanitation-related challenges become evident, making it even more important for us to intensify our clean-up efforts,” he stated.
Mr Morton noted that indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains and waterways continued to pose a serious threat to lives and properties during the rainy season.
He said the assembly remained committed to ensuring that drains within the municipality were regularly cleared to facilitate the free flow of water and reduce the incidence of flooding.
The MCE called on residents to complement the assembly’s efforts by adopting responsible waste disposal practices and maintaining cleanliness in their homes and surroundings.
He stressed that sanitation should not be left to the government and local authorities alone but should be seen as a collective responsibility requiring the active participation of every citizen.
Mr Morton further urged landlords, tenants and business operators to ensure that drains around their premises were regularly cleaned to prevent blockages that could result in flooding.
He warned against the indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste and other refuse into drains, saying such practices undermined efforts being made by the Assembly to improve sanitation conditions across the municipality.
Mr George Freeman, the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Environmental Health Officer (MEHO), stated that the assembly would always ensure proper sanitation practices within the various communities, warning that residents who blatantly disregard the assembly’s by-laws would be prosecuted.
Mr Freeman further noted that poor sanitation practices would affect the progress of the municipality and called on residents to adhere to proper sanitation practices to avoid prosecutions by the assembly.
Some residents who participated in the exercise commended the MCE for personally leading the clean-up despite the rains, describing his action as a demonstration of commitment and leadership.
They expressed the hope that the exercise would help improve environmental cleanliness and encourage residents to take sanitation issues more seriously.
The clean-up exercise forms part of a broader sanitation campaign being undertaken by the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly to promote environmental cleanliness, prevent flooding and safeguard public health within the municipality.