A nationwide campaign dubbed ‘Environmental Care Campaign’ meant to rid Ghana of filth has been launched in Accra.
The campaign, an initiative of The Church of Pentecost, is being carried out in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Company Limited, a waste management company, and the Government of Ghana. It is in fulfillment of the Government’s resolve to make Ghana and Accra, the national capital, the cleanliest city in Africa by 2020.
Launching the campaign at the Dome of the Pentecost International Worship Centre at the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC) on Thursday, November 22, 2018, the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, stated that the ‘Environmental Care Campaign’ is one of the many Church-State partnerships captured in the Church’s vision for the next five years, dubbed Vision 2023, with the overarching theme of “Possessing the Nations: Equipping the Church to transform every sphere of society with values and principles of the Kingdom of God.”
The vision, he said, places emphases on the dual identity of the Church; that the Church is called out of the world to belong to God and sent back into the world to witness and to serve. In this regard, he stated that the Church in the next five year intends to do more than before in partnering Government in its sustainable development agenda.
According to Apostle Nyamekye, the ‘Environmental Care Campaign’ is planned to be tackled in four main categories: Education, Clean-up, Community-based initiatives and other activities.
With regards to education, he said that the Church shall focus on attitudinal change as it highlights on some unhealthy practices that contribute to environmental degradation such as open defecation, noise pollution, improper disposal of waste, poor handling of pests and domestic animals, and unfriendly environmental-means of livelihood. “We shall also seek to educate our members and the general public on the existing environmental by-laws,” he stressed.
On clean-up exercise, the Chairman indicated that the approach is to instill in members the discipline to be physically responsible and involved in the care and cleaning of the environment.
Touching on community-based initiatives, the Chairman noted that various levels of the Church will be made to identify community-based initiatives related to the environment and pursue them.
To ensure the full implementation of the campaign, Apostle Nyamekye announced that the Church will carry out a bi-monthly clean-up exercises in public spaces at the district level, provide bins for all mission houses, church buildings, homes and workplaces of members. Also, there will be tree planting exercises at Church sites, mission houses and other specific areas in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, among other interventions.
The Chairman appreciated the CEO of Zoomlion Ghana Ltd, Elder Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, for partnering the Church to ensure the success of the campaign by providing personnel and equipment such as waste bins during the clean-up exercises across the country.
Apostle Eric Nyamekye called on Government to be committed to environmental law enforcement at all levels, provide waste bins at all levels to ensure proper disposal of waste, and to engage efficient waste management companies to ensure the prompt collection of waste from homes and communities.
The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, commended the Church for the novel initiative, describing the Church as a “progressive church.”
“What I see this morning is a clear indication of what non-state actors like faith-based organisations can do to support the development of a nation. You have proven beyond all reasonable doubt that indeed you control 2.6 million people.
“We all sit on the sidelines and admire The Church of Pentecost; it is a truth universally acknowledged because of the disciplined and the responsible behaviour of the church members. This is very worthy of emulation by other churches and all of us in Ghana.
“Indeed, The Church of Pentecost has shown that you are very active and responsible citizens. You are a good collaborator and partner to the vision of His Excellency the President, and we in the ministry and my other colleagues in other ministries are ready to be drafted into your laudable ideas,” she stated.
She stated that sanitation is everybody’s business, saying, “Everyone living in Ghana has a critical role in ensuring that our surroundings and cities are kept clean at all times.”
The CEO of Zoomlion, Elder Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, noted that the Church’s call for all to take environmental issues seriously is divine. According to him, waste can change the fortunes of Ghana if considered as a natural resources just as countries like Rwanda, Mauritius, Singapore, and Dubai have done.
He stated that just like any other natural resources, waste must be stored, collected, transferred and recycled. He added that the solution to waste management is the power of the bin, saying, “The refuse you generate begins at home, arrest it with a dustbin before it gets to the street.”
Dr Agyepong also called for attitudinal change and the need to teach children the importance of using the dustbin.
As part of the campaign, he disclosed that Zoomlion is installing mobile plants in all the ten regions in the country with the capacity of treating about 2,200 tonnes of waste each day in every region. He added that the company is also providing 50,000 dustbins which will be deplored to households in the country.
The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah, on behalf of all the 245 Metropolitan/Municipal and District Assemblies in the country, pledged their support for the campaign.
The Church of Pentecost with over 2.6 million members in Ghana is strategically positioned to embark on the campaign to keep Ghana clean. The Campaign is under the hashtag #CleanGhana.
Report by Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako (PENTECOST NEWS)
