The Okyehene, Osagefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, and the Okyeman Environment Foundation (OEF), in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited have organised a clean up exercise on Monday at Kyebi in the Eastern region.

The clean up exercise which was part of several activities to climax the commemoration of the 71^st birthday of the Okyehene.

The exercise was to improve the sanitation condition of the town and to encourage behavioural change among residents towards maintaining a more hygienic environment to keep the town clean.

Members of the OEF joined hands with workers of Zoomlion to desilt gutters and clear areas of rubbish at principal areas of the town.

Speaking after the exercise, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin noted that it was necessary to keep a clean environment for good health and urged the people to maintain proper sanitation habits.

He revealed that the traditional council and the OEF would collaborate with the Abuakwa South District Assembly to provide waste bins at vantage points “so that people can dumb in their waste wherever they find themselves”.

“Anybody found to litter the compound with rubbish would be arrested and fined because we cannot always have to leave the cleaning of our environment to Zoomlion. It should be our responsibility,” he stated.

He called on residents of the town to report to the Abuakwa Traditional Council if they found anybody indiscriminately cutting down trees or pouring hot water on trees, adding that anyone found culpable would be dealt with.

“Trees come with it several benefits, including providing shade, clean air and environment, among others, and we urged all residents to desist from cutting trees but rather plant them,” he said.

He said Kyebi has remained a clean city and urged all residents to help maintain a clean town.

Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin expressed his appreciation to Zoomlion for their support and continuous collaboration with other assemblies to rid the country of filth.

The Executive Secretary of the OEF, Mr Kofi Gyimah Amoako, said the clean up exercise would be maintained, adding that every household would be required to do clean-up once a month, while Zoomlion would be in charge of the collection.

He called on corporate bodies to partner with OEF to do such exercises to help keep the town clean for good health and for tourists attractions.

For his part, the Corporate Affairs Officer for Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Daniel Ohene, said the exercise was part of similar ones organised in other parts of the region to draw the public’s attention to the worsening sanitation conditions in the Region.

He said the clean-up exercise would ensure free flow of water in the gutters to avoid flooding and to make sure that the environment was clean.

He called for the participation of all and sundry in making the Region clean and pleaded with the members of the community to embark on regular clean up exercises to keep their environment clean and free from flooding.

“I also appeal that dustbins provided would be used for its intended purpose,” he said.