MILLS GRATEFUL FOR RESPONSE TO 'CLEAN GHANA' CAMPAIGN ([PAGE 17)

The President, John Evans Atta Mills, has commended the people of the Sekondi/Takoradi for their massive response to his call to clean Ghana within his first 100 days in office.
The clean-up for the metropolis, dubbed “Chocolate Valentine Clean-up”, which lasted for six hours, brought all commercial activities in the metropolis to a virtual standstill.
Drivers, traders, the military and police, fire service personnel, the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, residents, corporate and other security services joined residents to clean all choked gutters and drains to allow the free flow of liquid waste, while residents swept their localities.
The Communications Director at the Presidency, Mr Koku Anyidoho, told the Daily Graphic after the exercise that it was the fervent hope of the President that metropolitan, district and municipal assemblies in the country would be the cleanest in the sub-region.
“The President is very glad with the response at various parts of the country that the exercise had taken place and wishes to commend the people of Sekondi/Takoradi for their positive response,” he said.
Mr Anyidoho said: “Filth, as we all know, is not only the cause of many preventable illnesses that put the lives of the people at risk, but also places serious pressure on the budgets of district and metropolitan assemblies.”
He expressed the hope that, that declaration by the President would create a new perception of waste disposal and management issues. “For the people of Sekondi/Takoradi, the President is grateful for your positive response, ” Mr Anyidoho said.
The exercise started at about 6a.m. throughout the metropolis.
More than 200 officers and men from the Ghana Air Force, Takoradi Station, led by the Station Commander, Air Commodore Samson-Oje, brought their own equipment for the exercise.
They cleared gutters and huge drains in and around the central business district. A waste management company, Zoomlion, and other construction companies in the metropolis, provided trucks for the collection of waste.
The outgoing Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Philip Kwesi Nkrumah; the acting Regional Minister, Mr David Yaro; the Police Commander and the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kobby O. Darko, also joined in clearing the drains and commended the people for their positive response.
The Public Relations Officer of the Sekondi/Takoradi Municipal Assembly, Mr John Laste, said he was overwhelmed by the response and urged the people not to wait for suh clean-up campaigns before taking action.
He explained that even though the assembly would sustain the exercise, it was incumbent on the people to ensure that they helped in their little ways to manage the waste in their localities.
“If we learn to respect the Golden Rule that gutters are for liquid waste and the communal containers and waste bins are for solid waste and act appropriately, the battle against filth will be half won,” he said.