NiPDA in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ecozoil, Coastal Association of Neighbours and a section of fishermen had carried out a clean-up exercise along the Prampram Beach

This exercise, is a continuous compliance with the “Operation Clean your Frontage”; an initiative instituted by the government to keep the environment clean, nationwide. Even though participation was low, their output was very impressive. The participants cleaned approximately a kilometer stretch of the beach.

MAccording to Hon. Tetteh Wayoe Ebenezer, a government Appointee, the closed season had affected the fishermen, economically. They were therefore, putting their canoes, nets, and other working tools together to commence fishing activities. This partly, accounted for the low turn-up for the programme.

This notwithstanding, the community members, Assembly Staff and the Zoomlion Staff and other stakeholders contributed remarkably, to the success of the clean-up. Hon. Wayoe lamented over the open defecation menace along the beaches, even though there were adequate public toilets at the beaches. There were two thirty-two seater public toilets at the Prampram beach front.

The aged were permitted to use the facility at no cost whilst the adults and children paid fifty pesewas per head. However, members of this community still defecate indiscriminately along the sea shores. Expressing his displeasure, he called for a comprehensive public education on the adverse effects of open defecation for the community as well as find reasons for low patronage of the public toilets.

Mr. Daniel Lamptey, the Business Development Manager for Ecozoil, a firm under the Jospong Group of Companies, took part in the clean-up exercise. He noticed that “most of our beaches are not clean. Some people deliberately come to dump rubbish at the beaches and some people also intentionally come to defecate at the beaches”.

In his view, beaches and water bodies, must be clean always. This was the rationale for collaborating with the District Assembly, fishermen, zoomlion and other partners to educate the public on the need to keep the beaches clean. He stated that the “sea does not generate rubbish. The sea is such that anything you put inside it, it brings it back to the shores for that matter the beaches. When fishermen go for fishing, they bring rubbish and plastics instead of fish and we are all to take the blame.”

He pleaded with all to desist from dumping refuse into the sea. He also called on corporate organizations and other agencies to join in the cleaning of the beaches on all environmental days because it is a huge national asset and generates funds for government through tourist activities.

Maame Akua Oheneba Junior, is a female, JHS pupil at the Dawhenya Basic B school and a sanitation Diplomat, whose agenda is to embark on campaigns to promote good sanitation practices. She and her group in the school embarks on peer education. They also came together to work with the District Assembly to clean the beaches as well as send a message to the community and the government.

Their simple message was that the surroundings must be clean always for relaxation and at least fresh air for rejuvenation! “So, we must all start in our own little way”. Maame Akua advised those engaged in defecation into the water bodies to desist from such practices because the shores and living things in the water bodies become contaminated with faecal matter which is a serious health hazard.

She also advised the government to prioritize sanitation along the water bodies because they serve as tourist attraction for most people from other countries. Government agencies in charge of sanitation must ensure its cleanliness for better tourist attraction and revenue generation. Proceeds from this, can be used for beneficial social amenities for deprived communities.

She also advised family heads, landlords/ladies and infrastructure inspectorates to ensure that habitable facilities should have basic amenities such as toilets. This she said would go a long way to reduce the open defecation menace.

ISD