Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister has advised the public to observe personal hygiene and keep their surroundings clean as the rains set in.
With the onset of the rains, the Regional Minister reminded that a filthy environment could cause an outbreak of communicable diseases, hence the need for the public to desilt choked gutters and always weed and sweep dirty environments.
The Regional Minister also cautioned the public against putting structures and buildings at waterways and unauthorized places to prevent flooding.
In an interview with the media in Sunyani, Madam Owusu-Banahene emphasised cleaner environment and improved hygiene guaranteed good health and safe life.
She said proper environmental sanitation remained collective and shared responsibility and prevented outbreaks of diseases such as malaria, typhoid and cholera.
The Regional Minister called on everybody to prioritize environmental sanitation by avoiding indiscriminate disposal of solid and liquid waste and also ensured gutters were not choked with solid materials for improved drainage systems.
‘When we dispose of debris indiscriminately, it turns to choke gutters and thereby, makes it extremely difficult for liquid waste to flow freely. An unkept environment also served as fertile breeding places for mosquitos and contributed to malaria and other preventable diseases,’ Madam Owusu-Banahene stated.
‘Good sanitation practices are essential for our health and the overall development of our region, as the rains set in therefore crucial that we take collective action to prevent flooding in the city,’ she said.
Madam Owusu-Banahene called on traditional and opinion leaders to mobilize their people to undertake periodic clean-up exercises and also intensify awareness creation on personal hygiene.
She also asked the various district and municipal assemblies to collaborate with chiefs and queens and supported them with sanitation equipment such as dustbins and rakes.
Madam Owusu-Banahene stressed the commitment of the government towards the implementation of proper and sustainable waste management initiatives and advised everybody to take responsibility and manage waste properly.
Source: Ghana News Agency