Nana Atta Yeboah II, Leading Member of the Swedruman Council of Chiefs has expressed concern about the overwhelming failure of Assembly Members in the various electoral areas to take part in a planned clean-up exercise.
Mentioning Swedru in particular, the traditional was at a loss as to why the Assembly failed to take part in the exercise meant to tidy the surroundings of the Central Business District of the town.
According to the chief, the exercise was mooted by the Agona West Municipal Assembly in collaboration with the Swedruman Council to clean up streets and gutters in the business district.
He said it was the civic responsibility of the Assembly Members to mobilise residents in their respective areas to get rid of the huge filth piled up in the area, to enhance environmental cleanliness.
However, the traditional authorities in the area who attended in their numbers, were astonished that no Assembly man showed up.
Many store and shop owners were also absent.
Nana Atta Yeboah, who is also the Chief of Otabilkrom, addressing staff of Agona West Assembly, drivers, some market women and traders, and others after a five-hour clean-up exercise at Swedru, cautioned that henceforth, anyone who failed to partake in future clean-up exercises would be dealt with by law to serve as a deterrent.
The Traditional Ruler said the Swedruman Council had decided that recalcitrant store and shop owners who would fail to participate in the exercise in future would be arraigned before the law courts.
He warned that interferences would not be entertained when such people were being punished.
Nana Atta Yeboah said the recent cholera outbreak which hit Swedru was a result of filth and other related environmental issues.
He pledged the Council’s continued collaboration with the Agona West Assembly and other stakeholders in sanitation to ensure that the streets and gutters in Swedru were tidy.
He admonished traders, hawkers and others who were adamant and still trade at the Swedru Central Lorry Park to stop the practice or face the wrath of the assembly.
Mr Mac Dzodzodzi, the Acting Agona West Environmental Health and Sanitation Officer called on all to collectively support his office to keep the municipality clean and tidy.
He said measures had been put in place for the Environmental Health and Sanitation staff to work effectively to enable Agona West Assembly to maintain its position as the neatest Assembly in the Central region.