GOV'T SHOULD NOT BE ADAMANT ON HEALTH TRAINEE STUDENTS

 DAMAK SANITATION WATCH & HEALTH

PRESS RELEASE

GOV'T SHOULD NOT BE ADAMANT ON HEALTH TRAINEE STUDENTS

The government delay in responding to the Health Trainee students over their unpaid three years allowances is a daring path to implicate health implications in the country in future. The trainee students in all the hygiene health institutions across the country besieged the Health Ministry barley three weeks ago demanding their thirty months allowances met with a twist and turn response from the Ministry, is a situation that may ensue future setbacks.

The situation is deeply affecting academic work since 2017; their allowances are still locked in the coffers of the ministry for reasons best known to them alone.

Government has released a whopping sum of Ghc232 million to be disbursed to all Allied Hygiene Health Training Institutions. And out of the Ghc232 million, each student is supposed to be given Ghc12, 000 for the 30-months accumulated arrears. According to sources, Ghc232 million is said to be released annually to these institutions.

The outfit of Damak Sanitation Watch and Health has since over the years worked closely toward ensuring that health-related issues are properly addressed thus, deem it a privilege considering our track record to add our candy voice to the matter by drawing the attention of the government and the Ministry of Health, and the Sanitation Ministry that, their intention to making Ghana the cleanness city in Africa cannot be achieved without the inclusion of the Hygiene Health students. These very institutions when proper attention is not given to them, the probability of losing the fight are 80% because they represent the majority workforce in the sanitation and hygiene sector.

Having considered the level at which their allowances are being delayed, and the strange development or explanation given to them without a definite time frame for the money to be paid is raising possible questions of where is the money that has been allocated for the students.

''Government, considering the long silence over the allowance is justifiable to say that the Ghc232 million went into wrong hands or the government is possibly not going to release the money to the students''. The field these students have chosen is critical to national development and their concerns and grievances should be apprehended by the government.

A nation that commits enough resources into health institutions is building a vibrant and healthy economy. However, we want to use this medium to prompt the government that its efforts to make the nation clean and green, should cogently rest on their shoulders financially. People who are being appointed to occupy such positions seem to be disappointing the president and its time the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to wake up from his slumber and efficiently enforce the laws on his officials to work for the betterment of Mother Ghana.

 Signed......

Chief Executive Officer

Damak Sanitation Watch and Health

Mr. Akgri Daniel Mbabugri

Tel:0248998510

KUKUA AKETEBO RESIDENTS SHARE STREAM WATER WITH ANIMALS

 

 

Residents of Kukua Aketebo in the Suhum Municipality of the Eastern Region have expressed worries over the lack of portable drinking water in the area. The problem according to residents has compelled them to compete with animals in a stream river as a livelihood source of water.

 

The situation to some larger extent has brought health implications to residents in the community. It's so insulting that a community of municipal status; people still resort to stream water as their source of survival.

 

''We have been using the stream water with the animals for decades now because we use the stream water to drink, cook, and wash among other house duties because we have no choice''. They lamented.

It is sad to note that human beings still struggle to have access to potable water in this era of Covid-19 pandemic when water is pivotal in the fight of the novel COVID-19.

Some of the residents registered their grievances with the Damak Sanitation Watch and Health in the community appealing to the government of Ghana and non-governmental organizations to come to their aid by providing them with portable drinking water.

 

The situation is so albatross that the assemblyman of the community, John Addo Benkoe said to have done nothing. He contended that it's  affecting the community where health risks are so high because the stream water is daily populated by the animals and this has to be a problem confronting the development of the community. Hence, he appealed passionately to the government, the Member of Parliament for the area and the Municipal Chief Executive to provide a drilling borehole to help reduce health challenges among residents.

Speaking to DAMAK Sanitation Watch and Health when the team visited the community, John Addo Benkoe the assemblyman revealed that they have not benefited from any COVID-19 support when the government was distributing the Covid-19 incentives including the free water supply by president Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo during the lockdown period.

 

Having considered the magnitude and trauma residents went through, we (DAMAK Sanitation Watch and Health deem it a privilege to use this opportunity on behalf of the people of the Kukua community appealing to the government of Ghana, NGO's, MP for Suhum constituency, Hon. Frederick Opare Ansah and the Suhum municipal chief executive officer Margaret Darko stepped into the matter to provide potable water to the community.

 

 

SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION TASKFORCE INAUGURATED

 The Chief Executive officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi has officially inaugurates a team of sanitation personnel called “Clean and Green Team” formed by assemblymen and members of the various unit committees of Subin sub-metro to sort solutions to the day to day sanitation challenges within the community and beyond.

Subin sub-metro is said to be the first to institute a sanitation team among the ten sub-metros within the Kumasi Metropolis. The purpose of the formation of the environmental sanitation team is to complement KMA’s efforts as in curbing and keeping the Metropolis Clean and Green.

Persons (assembly members, unit committee members, and self-giving individuals) constituting the team are from the existing nine electoral areas in the sub-metro and will be performing in collaboration with the respective Town councils and unit committees under the supervision of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit of the assembly.

Their role is to clean all streets within the sub-metro and promote the greening of all areas so as to help restore the lost glory “Garden City” of Kumasi.The team during the inauguration was equipped with adequate number of logistics in the likes of rakes, wheelbarrows, shovel, gloves, protective clothing and boots among others.

Addressing the occasion, the Mayor for the Metropolis, Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi underscored how inability the assembly has been towards ensuring that all the needed policies are effected to improve upon the sanitary condition of the city. According to Mr. Osei Assibbey, the assembly is seeking logistic supports from cooperate bodies and institutions such as MTN, Zoomlion, Stanbic Bank, VIP, NIB plus a host of Non-Governmental Organisations since the implementation of the “Operation Keep Kumasi Clean and Green” policy.

The mayor who is much inclined to investment said he is committed towards making the Metropolis attractive to foreign investors and tourists owing to the fact that they (tourists and foreign investors) consider the sanitary condition of every country before visiting to embark on an investment.

He noted that the number of tourists that visit the Metropolis on daily basis he underlined gives credence to the fact that the city under his watch is witnessing an improved sanitary condition.

He urged the team to give out their best and report individuals sighted disposing refuse at unapproved areas for the necessary disciplinary action.

DAMAK sanitation watch and health on this note is appealing on the chief executive officer of the Kumasi Metropolis to provide and stationed more dustbins at all joint within the Metropolis to enhance easy disposals in order to fulfill the purpose of the " Operation Keep Kumasi Clean and Green".

By Akgri M. Daniel