The National Sanitation Day (NSD) exercise has again recorded low patronage in the northern regional capital, Tamale. Residents sat unconcerned with some having no idea about the exercise. The National Sanitation Day was instituted by government on the first Saturday of every month to get rid of filth that has engulfed most of the major cities and towns.
The maiden one which started on November 1, 2014 recorded low patronage. Many residents blamed the low patronage on low publicity and lukewarm attitude towards proper sanitation practices.
Some residents who spoke to Zaa News also accused the assembly of preaching virtue and practicing vice. To buttress their point, they pointed to dust bins dotted at vantage points which were filled-up with both liquid and solid waste for several weeks now.
On November first last year, the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru Limuna lamented the lack of interest of the people on the exercise and made passionate appeal to the residents to come out and clean their surroundings.
His plea, however, was not heeded to because the turn-out for the first Saturday of January 3, 2015 was only a few people together with officials of the Tamale metropolitan assembly led by the Mayor, Hanan Abdul Rahman Gundadow.
Some Members of parliament in the Northern Region took part in the exercise. However, their participation was sharply criticized by their critics who described it as a ceremonial participation. According to them, the politicians participated to attract media attention but not to help the people they represent get rid of filth and live healthily.
Throughout Zaa News’ monitoring of the exercise, one thing was clear; government intension is luckily not to be achieved because people have started doubting city authorities’ commitment towards it. This implies, the exercise continues recording low turn-out.
The assembly, together with various security services, decided to focus their attention on the exercise in Tishigu and Salamba electoral areas as premiere localities for the rotational strategy.
For the lucky electoral area in Tamale to be chosen for the next national sanitation day shall be the host. It is the intension of local government ministry to decentralize the exercise with Kumasi being the pioneering city to host it.
Assembly man for Tishigu electoral area, Alhassan Yakubu, however commended the people for participating in the exercise. According to him, the involvement of soldiers and the police encouraged some residents who were reluctant to join the exercise. On February 7, the National Sanitation Day exercise will be held in the Northern Region.
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