Chief of Lamashegu, a surburb of the Tamale Metropilis, Lamashegunaa- Ziblim Abdulai has called for partnerships in the drive towards ensuring cleaner environment especially in the Tamale area.
He said sanitation is a task that cannot be left for an individual or organization without others playing complement towards its success.
Lamashegunaa-Ziblim said this in Tamale, while chairing a Graphic sanitation awareness campaign themed “keep Ghana clean’ which is in partnership with Zoomlion.
The Graphic/Zoomlion stakeholders’ dialogue on sanitation for the Northern Region, brought together various relevant sectors from religious, traditional authorities, academia and the security services to discuss sanitation issues and find sustainable solutions to such challenges.
Chief Ziblim lamented, the increasing filth in the communities and streets and questioned how this could be resolved effectively if all stakeholder do not join hands to tackle the problem head-on.
He said the various Metro, Municipal and District assemblies should a s matter of urgency enforce their sanitation by-laws including punishing defaulters in order to discourage others from littering especially public places such as bus and taxi terminals, markets among others.
During a panel discussion, the head Pharmacy services at the Northern Regional Health Directorate, Dr. Dominic Otchere stated that sanitation and health were huge challenges that confront the health sector.
“More than 90 percent of our ODP cases are issues related to sanitation that that puts more burden on the health sector. If attitudes will change the disease burden will slow and that will also mean easing the pressures on our health care system including the huge indebtedness to the NHIS,” he noted.
For his part, Zonal manager for Zoomlion, Peter Dawuni said as a waste management company, they were vigorously pursuing the distribution of waste bins to households to help deal with the insanitary conditions in homes and neighborhoods. He however said attitudes and behaviors towards sanitation was a major challenge that needed a shift.
Earlier in an address, the Chief Sub Editor at Graphic Communication Groups Limited, Zakaria Alhassan said graphic remains committed to sustaining the campaign of sanitation by complementing the national campaign as 2021 has been designated as the year of sanitation. He challenged the metropolis of Tamale to go back to its old glory having chalked a feat as the cleanest city on two successive occasions.
Story by: Nelson Adanuti Nyadror | www.diamondfmonline.com
