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16.01.2007 General News

Major Clean-up Begins In Akuapem North Towns

16.01.2007 LISTEN
By Daily Graphic

The Akuapem North District Assembly in the Eastern Region has started the mass evacuation of refuse dumps in all the big towns in the district to make the area clean for the celebration of Ghana's 50th anniversary.

The exercise, which is being done by the Assembly's Management Corps under the National Youth Employment Programme, would cover refuse dumps, some of which had not been cleared for more than 50 years, at Akropong, the district capital, Mampong, Adukrom, Okorase, Abiriw and Awukugua.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, made this known when a 50-year-old refuse dump at the premises of the Akropong Presbyterian Primary and JSS was cleared on Saturday.

He said the decision to clear the refuse dumps was to make the area clean and safe for the people living nearby and also attract more visitors to the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

“The geographical position of the towns, all of which are on top of the mountains with ideal climatic condition, not withstanding its proximity to Accra, will definitely attract more visitors during the festivities so we have to tidy up the place to attract tourists, some of whom will take the opportunity to invest in the area,” he said.

Mr Adu Aboagye, who indicated that refuse containers would he placed at all vantage points to ensure that the area was not littered with filth, called on the inhabitants to be involved in the exercise.

He expressed the hope that by the end of next month, Akuapem North would be one of the cleanest areas in the country.

The Resident Minister of the Peace Congregation of the Presbyterian Church and Manager of the Presbyterian Primary School, Rev Anokye Nkansah, who took part in the evacuation exercise was happy that the refuse, which according to him had been a health hazard to the pupils, had been cleared and thanked the assembly for the initiative.

The assembly member for the area, Mr Kwayisi Sakyi, said he would ensure that the clean-up exercise would be conducted periodically in the area.

Storyby A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Akropong-Akuapem

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