The Hohoe Municipal Assembly has extended its September National Sanitation Day exercise to Alavanyo Wudidi in the Volta Region, as part of efforts to improve sanitation and maintain a clean environment across the municipality.

The Hohoe Municipal Assembly observes the first Thursday of every month as its communal clean-up and National Sanitation Day. The exercise is conducted between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., during which residents are expected to participate in cleaning their communities.
During the designated period, business premises are not permitted to operate, except pharmacies, drug stores and establishments providing emergency health or humanitarian services.

The Hohoe Municipal Coordinating Director, Wisdom Kporngor, commended residents of Alavanyo Wudidi for turning out to participate in the exercise. He urged them to maintain the momentum and make cleanliness a regular responsibility rather than limiting sanitation activities to the designated clean-up day.

Mr Kporngor reminded residents that failure to participate in the sanitation exercise constitutes an offence and warned that persons found culpable could be arraigned before the court.

He also raised concern over reports of illegal tree felling within a forest reserve in the area. According to him, the Assembly had become aware that some unidentified individuals were engaging in the activity, which he described as illegal and unacceptable.

He explained that anyone wishing to fell a tree must first obtain the necessary approval from the Forestry Commission, and urged residents to follow the appropriate procedures rather than engaging in unauthorised tree cutting.

The Hohoe Municipal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director, Togbe Kokloko Ananze XIII, also cautioned residents against indiscriminate tree felling.
He said uncontrolled destruction of trees contributes to environmental degradation and ultimately has negative consequences for human beings. He therefore encouraged residents to support tree-planting initiatives as a way of helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

He further reminded the public that there are legal consequences for illegal tree felling.
The Hohoe Municipal Environmental Health Analyst, Divine Abotsi, appealed to residents to properly control their domestic animals and prevent them from roaming freely and damaging other people’s property.
He also reminded food and drink vendors to participate in the ongoing health screening exercise in the municipality, warning that persons who failed to comply with the requirement could face the applicable consequences.

The Hohoe Municipal Fire Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), DO III Bismark Hosu-Porbley, used the occasion to educate residents on fire prevention and safety.
He cautioned residents against overfilling gas cylinders and advised them not to reconnect gas regulators immediately after returning from refilling their cylinders.

He also urged residents to use certified electricians for electrical work, avoid illegal electrical connections and take precautions when using high-power electrical appliances.
In particular, he advised residents not to plug appliances such as heaters, microwaves and electric kettles into extension boards, but instead connect them directly to appropriate wall socket.

The Divisional Chief of Alavanyo Wudidi, Togbe Fiaya VI, expressed appreciation to the Hohoe Municipal Assembly for bringing the sanitation exercise to the community.
He also thanked residents for responding positively to the exercise and encouraged them to continue participating in sanitation activities.
The chief appealed to the Assembly to continue providing support to the community’s sanitation efforts.