Agona East District Assembly revamps 'Saman Saman' to improve sanitation

The Agona East District Chief Executive, Hon. Janet Odei Paintsil has announced that the Assembly through its Environmental Health Department has revamped its house-to-House inspection popularly known as 'Saman Saman' with the purpose of improving sanitation conditions including healthy water facilities in various homes.

Addressing the First Ordinary Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Fourth session of the Assembly held at Agona Nsaba last Thursday, Hon. Janet Odei Paintsil noted that even though sanitation situation in the District was something to be proud of, the Assembly would continue to strive to ensure healthy environment for the people.

She lauded the Central Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), Zoomlion Company Limited as well as the Environmental Health Department of the Assembly for partnering monthly clean up exercise adding the first of its kind was successfully carried out in Agona Nsaba and Agona Duakwa respectively. According to her, the exercise would continue every month to keep the various communities tidy.

"House to house inspection popularly known as Saman Saman is ongoing. The purpose is to ensure improved sanitation conditions and healthy water facilities in our various homes.

"I want to appeal to Assembly Members to support the Environmental Health Officers in the exercise as the essence of sanitation is to reduce human exposure to pathogens, thereby reducing the infection of communicable diseases in our communities.

"It is gratifying to note that screening and sensitization of food vendors are also ongoing at the Environmental Health Department. This programme is to break the chain infection of communicable diseases and also ensure that the general public eats wholesome foods in the District, "she stated.

On operationalization of sub-structures of the Assembly, the District Chief Executive noted the importance of the sub-structures towards local governance saying it cannot be overemphasized.

She added that only when the sub-structures works effectively that comnunities in the District would feel the impact of the work of the Assembly.

"In view of this, bank accounts have been opened for all Area Councils and initial deposits on the accounts have also been made. This is because the sub-structures forms the basic and primary point of call for local governance services, it is only proper that they are well resourced and fully operationalized to provide basic services to our communities.

"I wish once again use this opportunity to appeal to Assembly Members to contribute their quota in making the Area Councils effective by ensuring that the ceded revenue to the area are collected and pay onto the account to qualify them obtain 50% of revenue collected for the betterment of the District as a whole," she stressed.

Touching on development projects, Hon. Janet Odei Paintsil disclosed that the Assembly has undertaken several infrastructure projects for the people most of whom she noted had been completed.

She mentioned the construction of Female and Children's ward for Agona Nsaba Health Center, conversion of classroom block pavilion into 6-unit Teachers' quarters at Agona Mankrong, demolition and construction of double concrete culvert and dredging of a river at Brahakekum and construction of 1no CHPS compound at Agona Duotu.

Others include, completion of 1no 3-unit classroom with ancillary facility at Agona Nkumkum Mangoase, reshaping of 5km roads from Fante Bawjiase to Akwakwaa and teshaping of 4km Road from Duabone to Kwesi Painstil.

"The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme being implemented by the Government of Ghana to reduce extreme poverty through increase consumption and nutrition as well as promoting access to social services is geared towards poverty eradication among poor and vulnerable in the society.

"In the view of this, 249 households have benefited from payment for 81st and 82nd LEAP Cycle in the Agona East District. Again, as part of our social interventions, the Assembly has been holding school sensitization programmes on teenage pregnancy and child trafficking in schools such as Duakwa D/A Basic School, Duakwa Islamic Basic School, Duakwa Methodist Basic School and Duakwa Catholic Basic School among other things.

"The Agona East District Assembly is concerned about the well-being of the children in the District. Child maintenance is recognized as a parental obligation enforced by the Department of Social Welfare.

"It is disheartening to note that there are children begging on the road side for money which speaks volumes of the importance of children's welfare in the Agona East District. It saddening to see these children walking almost naked with little or no educational standard.

"Thankfully, the Department of Social Welfare have recorded a good number of cases of Child Maintenance and are happily reunion with their parents," she noted.

The Agona East DCE lauded His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo led NPP Government for the huge financial resources towards development projects in the District.

She noted for instance, the completion of a modern court complex with the Magistrate's bungalow to improve justice delivery to the people.