ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH UNIT ORGANISES COMMUNAL LABOUR AT NKAWKAW BYPASS
A general cleanup exercise was held at the Nkawkaw by-pass in the Kwahu West Municipality on February 10th, 2022, with an emphasis on desilting the drains, sweeping and weeding the median of the Accra-Kumasi High Way, and cleaning the truck park.
Through a number of announcements made through the Information Centers, the Environmental Health Unit and the local Assemblyman educated and mobilized the community.
Hawkers, employees from the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit, and a few residents of the neighborhood attended. There was extensive drain de-silting going on, and people were sweeping the streets and other public spaces, particularly the highway hawking areas.
After the cleanup exercise, the Environmental Health Officers and Hon. Asamoah, the community’s Assemblyman, met with the participants to discuss the sanitation issue the area was facing.
From the discussions they gathered that the by-pass had become a hotbed of illegal activities. The hawkers who had set up shop there had created an unauthorized dumping site, which was an eyesore for those passing by. Despite efforts to clear the area, some stores remained open, and the majority of the hawkers continued selling their wares. Adding to the chaos were the unauthorized structures erected in-between the two roads at the by-pass. To make matters worse, heavy duty truck drivers and their mates were using the land in between the two roads as a defecating ground. It was clear that urgent action was needed to clean up the area and restore order.
They therefore recommended that the hawkers who are creating an unauthorized dumping site must be caught and prosecuted to discourage others from engaging in such illegal activities. The Assembly should continue to intensify health education to ensure that all citizens are aware of the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
The unauthorized structures erected at the by-pass should be removed, and the area should be greened by the Physical Planning Department of the Municipal Assembly to beautify the environment. Furthermore, the Assembly should task the City Guards/Police Officers to be on guard at the by-pass to arrest unauthorized defecating offenders for prosecution. By implementing these measures, the authorities can ensure that the by-pass is clean, safe and aesthetically pleasing for all those who use it.