Minister Fights Refuse

Local Government minister, Julius Debrah has called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to prosecute persons who violate the sanitation law in the country. This he said would deter people from littering around to cause the outbreak of diseases, thereby, not compelling government to channel resources for developmental projects into sanitation issues. He, therefore, called for pragmatic measures to educate the people to refrain from improper disposal of refuse, especially, the plastic waste. The Local Government Minister said this as part of his working visit to the North to ascertain sanitation issues, as well as the state of biometric registration exercise to find out the challenges confronting the officers in embarking on the registration exercise and the way to address them. The minister was accompanied by the Northern regional minister, Alhaji Mohammed Limuna Muniru, A.B.A Fuesini, Deputy Regional Minister, Mayor of Tamale, Municipal Chief Executives for Yendi municipality, chief executives and other stakeholders to embark on the tour in the region. �A fiscal bill to enable the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) raise additional funds for developmental issues has been sent to parliament for approval,� he said. This he said would help the MMDAs to generate some revenue without necessarily depending on government for funds to implement projects to improve the livelihoods of the citizenry in their respective communities. He urged the assemblies to also be accountable to the people to ensure the citizens get informed about the on- going projects and how the resource allocated to the assembly has been utilized for trust. He, therefore urged the assemblies to champion the course in the saving and loans scheme to disburse loans for the local people to run their business to improve the local interest in economic activities to reduce the unemployment rate that compel the youth to migrate to the south to look for non-existing jobs, but rather stay to contribute their quota to the economy and the family as well. He noted that efforts are being made to establish recycling plants to create job opportunities for the youth and the manufacture of manure for the use of the farmers to increase yields that would enable the nation generate some revenue for developmental projects to improve the livelihoods of the citizenry. The sector minister noted that most of the assemblies lack containers, wheel trucks and the other logistics to help address the sanitation issues and assured immediate release of the items to enable their assemblies discharge their duties well to serve the nation. He called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and the District Assemblies to be proactive not to under-estimate sanitation issues. Mr. Debrah called on the stakeholders to recruit people of substance who can manage the resource of the country well to alleviate poverty through the avoidance of partisan politics or tribalism. �For a developing country to a middle income country, we need bold and courageous leaders who are innovative to explore the available resource into good use to benefit the people of the country,� he said. He noted that access to proper roads to some communities was a problem, thereby, making it difficult for the local farmers to convey their goods to the market to make a living due to lack of vehicles to ply those communities. The ministers also used the opportunity to visit some electoral areas at Savelugu-Nanton and Tamale Metropolis. At Savelugu, he paid a courtesy call on the YooNaa Abukari Mahamaa, chief of Savelugu where the chief commended him for his efforts and urged the minister not to renege on the promise of government to the people, but initiate programmes that would help address the unemployment rate in the country. The Minister was impressive about the corporation among the chiefs and the electoral officials to ensure a successful exercise. Alhaji Mohammed Limuna Muniru, Northern Regional Minister assured of liaising with the district assemblies to accomplish all projects He said measures have been put in place to collaborate with the private sectors to implement projects to alleviate poverty in the region. Mayor of Tamale, Abdul Hanan Gundadow said the assembly would generate about GH�230,000 from uncompleted Aboabo, Central and the Lamashiegu stores and the car parks monthly after completion for developmental projects.