2014 Kloyosikplem: Prez Mahama Directs MMDAs To Enforce Sanitation By-Laws

Tuesday November 25, 2014, Somanya: President John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday, directed that no Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies should provide permits to developers whose projects do not include toilet facilities in their building plans.

He said it was unacceptable for a country that gained independence almost 60 years ago to still experience preventable diseases, such as cholera.

President Mahama announced this when he joined the Chiefs and people of Yilo-Klo to celebrate the annual Kloyosikplemi Festival on the theme:"Healthy Lifestyle for General Development.”

The festival was instituted in 1992 by the Yilo-Klo Traditional Council under the reign of Nene Narh Dawutey Ologo VI to commemorate 100 years of the painful and forceful eviction from the Krobo Mountain (the Kloyo) to the current settlements in the Yilo Krobo areas.

It was attended by traditional rulers, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, among other dignitaries. The favourite Klama and obonu music and dance of the Krobos were also performed to mark the day.

President Mahama blamed the outbreak of cholera mainly on congested areas that had no toilet facilities at homes, allowing the people to engage in 'open defecation' that subsequently resulted into cholera.

He announced that the Government was instituting a pilot programme in congested areas, where landlords and landladies would be provided with sanitary facilities on hire purchase basis, and if it worked, government would replicate it throughout the country.

President Mahama said the District Assemblies had the power to implement the by-laws that would bring to book people who violated the rules in terms of sanitation in their areas.

*On the people's reminder for the establishment of a University in Somanya, he announced that Cabinet had approved the establishment of the University and the papers would soon be presented to Parliament for approval.

He said many communities would also receive electricity, potable water and good roads as their share of the national cake to better their lot.

He urged them to spread the education on the Ebola Virus Disease to prevent its spread to Ghana.

The Chairman of Kloma Hengme; A Krobo advocacy and Heritage Association, Isaac Tamatey Otu, said the Association is very pleased that the President has been able to honour the festival, but has urged him not to further delay to commence work on the proposed Somanya University.

The Chairman is also urging the government to expedite action on the construction of the Tlom-Odumase-Kpong highway and the Odumase-Oterkpolu road network. "The establishment of the Somanya University to be sited at Somanya, and the proposed University of Education Krobo campus to be situated at Odumase, and the construction of the road networks across the entire Krobo region is an indication that the future of the Krobo nation is bright, and the opportunities for prosperity will also be many for the krobo people", he added.

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