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La-Nkwantanang MCE warns residents over illegal refuse sites
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly, Mrs Jennifer Dede Adjabeng, has advised residents to refrain from indiscriminate dumping and littering in the area or have themselves to blame.
According to her, despite the arrest and prosecution of several offenders, the practice still persists, especially at the Zongo Junction area, thus making it difficult for the sanitation companies to meet their targets.
The MCE made these remarks after a clean-up exercise was conducted as part of the monthly campaign to get rid of filth in the area.
The five-hour exercise, which started at 5am and ended around 11am, had teams comprising the environmental staff of the assembly, Zoom Lion, traders, the security agencies and property owners who weeded the bushy surroundings and desilted chocked drains along the principal streets in the municipality.
She indicated that in order to achieve that noble objective of maintaining a clean and healthy environment, it behoves the citizenry to abide by their social routines and responsibilities by ensuring that the waste they generate were properly disposed of in order to avoid conflict with the law.
Mrs Adjabeng warned that the assembly would not take kindly to anyone caught dumping refuse in any part of the municipality, and urged the unit committees to increase their watchdog roles to prevent the highway from becoming dumping sites.
She said the assembly was also carrying out the sweeping and collection of sand along the N4 to prevent the waste being washed back into the drains along the highway.
So far, the exercise has been carried out from Ayi-Mensah to UPSA junction of the N4 Highway and some streets in the Central Business District, especially Chief Babaa Seidu Street has been cleaned.
The MCE charged all residents to be environmentally –conscious, particularly in this times of incoming rains in order not to create a fertile ground for any alarming incidents, adding that “there was the need to break any unhelpful cycle”.
By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu
News
Oguaa goes gay with Fetu Afahye
The ancient city of Cape Coast, one of Ghana’s historical cities, witnessed a showcase of the rich cultural heritage of the Oguaa people with an exciting, colourful, and traditional event to mark the celebration of the 61st annual Fetu Afahye.
Themed “Innovate to elevate: Harnessing the creative economy for sustainable growth”, the festival featured a vibrant lineup of events, interspersed with several cultural performances showcasing the traditions which depict the traditional, historical and ancestral heritage of the land.
It witnessed a colourful procession of chiefs and various Asafo companies from the Mfantsipim School junction through the principal streets of the town to the Jubilee Park, accompanied by drumming and traditional dances.
The chiefs and members of the asafo companies were adorned in regal attire symbolising the pride and unity of the community.
Fetu Afahye demonstrates Oguaa’s resilience, unity, and cultural pride as the town welcomed indigenes both within and outside, as well as people from far and near, desirous of participating in the festival.
Various public spaces, including eateries and pubs, attracted patrons, and streets within the town witnessed bustling events with music blaring from the loudspeakers that had been placed by the roadside.
Bakatue
Prior to the durbar was the Bakatue regatta, a canoe race on the Fosu Lagoon, organised by ATL, a campus-based radio station located within the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in collaboration with the Oguaa Traditional Council.
The event saw a thrilling spectacle as the three Asafo companies, Nkum No. 4, Bentsir No. 1, and Anaafo No. 2, battled aggressively on the Fosu Lagoon. Nkum No. 4 earned nine points to clinch the trophy, medals, and a cash prize. They were followed by Anaafo No. 2 with five points, while Bentsir No. 1 finished third with four points.
Orange Friday
Friday witnessed what has come to be known as the biggest street carnival in Ghana, known as ‘Orange Friday.’
It drew hundreds of people across the country. Clad in orange attires, the patrons gathered and moved through the streets of the town, creating a gridlock.
The Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osaberimba Kwesi Atta II, at the durbar of chiefs to climax the festival acknowledged the unifying factor in relation to culture among Africans and stated the need for Africans to take their destinies into their own hands.
He explained that festivals such as Fetu Afahye offer an opportunity for Africans to remind themselves of the future by working hard and embrace the future in order not to be taken by events.
The Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, in a speech read on her behalf, noted that the festival was far more than a ritual or an annual duty, saying, “It is an affirmation of an identity, a homecoming and a powerful testimony to the wisdom and fortitude of our forebears”.
In his remarks, the Special Guest of Honour, the Olu of Warri State in Nigeria, Ogiame Atuwatse III, indicated that, the only thing holding Africans back was Africans themselves, which he said, was in the area of an African identity, and acting on that identity.
From David O. Yarboi-Tetteh, Cape Coast
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Chief Imam issues disclaimer on unauthorised petitions
The Office of the National Chief Imam has warned Muslim organizations and individuals against issuing statements and petitions to the Government in his name without permission.
In a statement, the Chief Imam said he had observed that some groups had been circulating petitions, including a recent one on Hajj, using his name without authorization.
He stressed that such actions were unlawful and cautioned those involved to stop or face the law.
The Chief Imam reminded the public that on October 4, 2022, he, together with the National Imams of all Muslim sects, signed a deed and presented it to the Government at the Jubilee House.
The agreement recognised the National Muslim Conference of Ghana as the official body representing Muslims in their dealings with state institutions.
He urged that any petitions meant to be sent to the Government in his name should go through the National Muslim Conference of Ghana with the approval of the Advisory Board of his office.
By: Jacob Aggrey
