Opinions of Saturday, 23 April 2022
Columnist: Beatrice Nana Tima Amoah
Over the past few years, Accra has been battling with the issue of filth. Waste management has been a very key issue in Accra and immediate ways to curb that situation have been initiated by Mr Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister.
Miss Beatrice Nana Tima Amoah, a 17year old environmental activist of AbibiNsroma Foundation expresses her worry about improper disposal and inadequate collection of waste or litter in the commercial capital city of Accra and it's environs. This is making lives uncomfortable for inhabitants of the city and this comes along with major risks like pollution which leads to the spread of diseases such as malaria, cholera, dysentery, diarrhoea, typhoid, respiratory infections among others.
There's a saying that, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". Imagine living in a community filled with filth, will there be the presence of God in that community?
We all need to be each other's keeper. The Bible, therefore, asks us to be good stewards of the environment so if we fail to take good care of our environment or the Earth, it goes a long way to affect us in one way or the other.
Ocean plastics pollution and indiscriminate burning of trash all affect the well-being of Earth, the only known habitat for human life. Climate change is harshly affecting our lives across the globe.
As tidal waves continue to hit hard along the coastal stretch of Ghana such as Tema Manhean specifically the Sea Light electoral area and Abonko, lives, and properties are threatened day and night. Vulnerable residents lose their livelihoods to the tidal waves, sea erosion and flooding.
One major problem of filth in our communities is the retardation of growth. The revenue earned by the government which would be used for developmental projects would rather be used to replace lost properties that have been destroyed and also to compensate families who have lost their loved ones.
I, therefore, urge each and every one of you to support the OPERATION CLEAN YOUR FRONTAGE initiative which is championed by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr. Henry Quartey whose aim is to seek to make it obligatory for all individuals and cooperate institutions to be responsible for cleaning and greening of their immediate surroundings.
The agenda of the Regional Minister is intended to instill discipline and enforce the laws of sanitation towards positive behavior or attitude in order to achieve the cleanest city in West Africa.
Call on every citizen to support the new drive by the government so together we can be proud of our investment in ensuring a safe clean city and protecting the Earth our only home.