Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) has undertaken a clean-up exercise in the New Takoradi Lower Electoral Area in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) to rid the area of filth.

The exercise, supported by the Unit Committee members of the Area and the community members, was the ninth of such exercises lined up by Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited's national sanitation campaign dubbed, "Keep Ghana Clean".

The team desilted gutters, cleared heaps of refuse, swept shoulders of the streets as well as gathered and disposed the refuse and made sure that nothing was left in the gutters.

Zoomlion provided technical support by making available trucks to collect the waste gathered, as well as all the working tools required for the exercise, aimed at drawing attention to the worsening sanitation conditions in the country.

Western Regional Manager of ZGL, Alhaji Abdulai Abdallah in an interview with the GNA, explained that as part of the campaign, they identified areas which were much engulfed in filth hence, the Lower New Takoradi a fishing community was chosen.

He said the exercise was to ensure that there was free flow of water in the gutters to avoid flooding and to make sure that the environment was clean for habitation.

Mr Abdallah called for the participation of all and sundry in making the country clean and pleaded with the members of the community led by the Assembly Member to embark on regular clean up exercises, so as to keep the gutters free from waste to avoid flooding and to make sure that their surroundings were clean.

Alhaji Abdallah expressed concern about the situation where free dustbins distributed by his outfit were being used for water storage by resident and refuse were rather dumped at unauthorised places.

He therefore appealed to the residents to use the bins for the purposes for which they were given and called on the Assemblyman for the Area to sensitize the residents on the need to keep waste in the provided dustbins.

The Regional Manager observed that the Lower New Takoradi Area was too large to have only one communal refuse container looking at the quantity of waste they generated, and called on the city authorities to make available more communal refuse containers to cater for the huge waste generated.

Madam Diana Akon Mensah, Public Jobs Manager of Zoomlion, deemed the exercise a success and commended the workers of Zoomlion for their hard work.

She also commended the members of the community and the Unit Committee members who represented the Assemblyman for coming out in their numbers to support the exercise.

She called on the community members to desist from throwing waste in gutters when it rained, and keep their environment clean to avoid flooding and environmental related diseases.

Madam Diana pleaded with the residents to shun open defecation and desist from using the free dustbins to store water, maize, and other things, but rather use them to collect waste to enable them maintain a clean and healthy environment.