Adaklu is not a safe haven for environmental degradation – DCE

Adaklu District Chief Executive Jerry Yao Ameko emphasized on Tuesday that his district would not tolerate environmental degradation under his leadership. Environmental protection and sanitation issues are vital to the district's well-being and are non-negotiable, he stated. Ameko urged residents to view environmental protection as a collective civic duty rather than a top-down governmental mandate. "The culture of environmental responsibility should be rooted in local ownership," he noted.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Ameko criticized the district's response to recent heavy rainfall-induced flooding in parts of the Volta region. He called on Assembly members, traditional and religious leaders to take proactive steps and establish community-driven mechanisms to maintain cleanliness, protect rivers and wetlands. Ameko highlighted the dire consequences of communities being plagued by filth and polluted rivers, as it adversely impacts public health and future prosperity.

As the Dean of Volta region MDCEs, Ameko reminded the Blue Water Guards operating in the district that their work would not be measured solely by arrests or reports but by the clarity of streams and health of ecosystems. "Rivers are not abstract resources; they are the bloodstream of agriculture, the foundation of public health, the anchor of livelihoods, and guarantor of future prosperity," he stated.

Ameko urged Environmental Health Officers to strictly enforce the Assembly's sanitation bylaws, regardless of any opposition. He encouraged traditional authorities to observe National Sanitation Day and report violators to the Assembly. With the arrival of the rainy season, Ameko advised communities to clear their gutters and weed surroundings to prevent flooding and disease outbreaks.

"Clean communities are healthy communities," he emphasized. Ameko praised President John Dramani Mahama for initiating National Sanitation Day, adding that the significant financial investment in drugs by the government could be redirected to other productive ventures if the nation were clean and healthy.