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30.11.2011 General News

AMA/Zoomlion honour Akweley as Sanitation Ambassador

By Stephen Odoi-Larbi - Ghanaian Chronicle
AMAZoomlion honour Akweley as Sanitation Ambassador
30.11.2011 LISTEN

The 2nd runner-up in the just ended TV3 reality show, Ghana's Most  Beautiful, Naa Akweley, was on Tuesday honoured as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA)/ZoomLion Ambassador of Sanitation.

Her exploits in the field of environmental sanitation during the reality show, according to the city Mayor, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, won his heart and that of many other leaders in the Assembly, as well as players in the waste management sector, hence the decision to make her ambassador to champion the cause of cleanliness in the city.

'During the weekly series, the Greater Accra representative, Akweley, aptly represented and excellently displayed the rich culture of the region. She focused on one of the most pressing issues confronting the Assembly, which is sanitation, and imitated excellently the Mayor in his quest in addressing the issue. And so, on November 28, 2011, the AMA voted to support Akweley's dream to champion sanitation in the Greater Accra Region,' noted Mr. Vanderpuije in his remarks prior to honouring Akweley.

According to him, Akweley's decision to champion the cause of sanitation would not have been possible without the support of ZoomLion Ghana Limited, and therefore, called on other corporate bodies and organisations to follow suit.

'The example of ZoomLion in collaborating with the AMA should be one thing that should be emulated by all,' he added.

To help facilitate her work, the AMA and ZoomLion presented a KIA Sorento saloon car to help facilitate the young lady's newly assigned role in the Accra metropolis.

She would, for a period of one year, spanning from January - December, 2012, join hands with the Assembly public inspectors and ZoomLion to intensify their educational drive on sanitation in the city.

According to the City Mayor, ever since the Assembly issued a directive for all houses in the metropolis to have toilet facilities, about one-third of landlords and or landladies have complied, leaving the majority of the populace to either ease themselves in free range or go to public toilets.

For example, in Okaikoi North, out of the 9,668 houses identified, the AMA has only managed to inspect 4,998. Out of the number registered, 3,682 houses, representing 85%, are without toilet facilities.

In Ablekuma Central, out of the 15,606 houses identified, 6,389 have so far been inspected, with 61% of the houses without toilet facilities. This grim picture, according to the Mayor, needed to addressed, and Akweley would be at the forefront to ensure that.

In a brief remark to usher the new ambassador into office, the Accra Zonal Manager of ZoomLion Ghana Limited expressed displeasure about people's attitudes toward the environment.

According to him, bad attitudes, coupled with failure to complement their effort in the fight against environmental sanitation, had been his outfit's number one challenge throughout its operations in the country.

He said the year 2012 would see the company investing heavily in its educational drive to raise awareness about environmental cleanliness throughout the length and breadth of the country.

Naa Akweley, in response, accepted the challenge of her new found role, and pledged to give her best in ensuring that the city becomes a better place to live, devoid of filth.

'I humbly accept the appointment as an Ambassador of Sanitation, and the responsibility that it so demands, since a healthy nation is one that is keen for healthy citizens,' she said in a perky voice to the applause of the gathering.

She added: 'I deem this clarion call as one, not just for the corporate or social responsibility, but an appointment that calls for work and action that is immensely meant to establish, inspire, educate, and to restore the reputable image of the nation, in respect to poor sanitation in the nation Ghana, especially, Accra.'

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