Traditional rulers in the Kwabre District urged to protect lands

The Kwabre District Assembly has been implored to step-up efforts to stem the wanton sale of sites ear-marked for projects by some traditional rulers.

Mr Solomon Baah Achamfour, District Environmental Officer, who made the call, decried the high rate at which some traditional rulers were selling such sites illegally and alleged that they hide under the pretext of re-zoning the lands to advance their hidden agenda.

The situation, he said had currently compelled residents in some communities in the District to dump refuse haphazardly or defecate at unauthorized places due to lack of sanitary facilities and cited Atimatim and Meduma as some of the affected communities.

Mr Achamfour was addressing the Annual Health Forum of the District at Mampongteng on Thursday.

The forum, among others is aimed at revising activities of the District Health Directorate, with the view to formulating policies and programmes to improve upon the health status of the people in the coming years.

The District Environmental Officer announced that a total of 12 people were prosecuted last year for various sanitary offences.

He said the culprits who were arraigned before the Mampongteng Magistrate's Court were fined a total sum of about GH¢1,000.

Mr Achamfour called on the District Assembly to collaborate with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to assist his outfit to enable them to embark on out-reach programmes to sensitize residents on sanitation issues.

Nana Osei Hwedie, Chief of Wadie Aduma Kaase, urged his colleague traditional rulers to be development-oriented and shun the illegal sale of sites earmarked for projects for the realization of the development goals of the District Assembly.