By Alex Ababio
Meduma, Ashanti Region — Residents of Meduma in the Kwabre East Constituency have joined forces with the Member of Parliament, Hon. Akwasi Gyamfi Onyina-Acheampong, and the Assembly Member for the Meduma Electoral Area, Hon. Ebenezer Agyenim Boateng, to undertake a major sanitation exercise aimed at restoring environmental cleanliness and improving road conditions in the township.
The community-wide exercise brought together scores of residents, particularly the youth, who actively participated in desilting choked drains, clearing accumulated refuse, and repairing sections of the main road badly damaged by potholes. Using cement, stones, and sand, the residents worked to make the road motorable and safer for commuters.
The initiative, sponsored by the MP, forms part of broader efforts to enhance sanitation, beautify the community, and promote a culture of shared responsibility among residents.
Speaking to Ghanaian Watch in an interview at Meduma Hon. Ebenezer Agyenim Boateng issued a strong warning against poor sanitation practices, particularly the illegal disposal of human waste into public drains.
“I want to send a strong message to individuals who refuse to use public toilets but prefer to defecate in their homes and channel human waste into the drains,” he declared. “This must stop immediately. Let this be the final warning.”
He stressed that offenders would henceforth face strict legal consequences.
“Today marks the last day of tolerance,” he cautioned. “Anyone caught engaging in such acts will face the full rigours of the law. No one will be able to intervene on your behalf.”
Hon. Boateng further directed residents who have illegally connected pipes from their homes into the drainage system to disconnect them without delay.
“We are giving notice to all residents who have connected pipes from their homes to the drains to remove them,” he said. “Failure to comply will compel us to block those connections.”
He also cautioned traders operating along the main road to maintain cleanliness around their business areas.
“Those selling along the roadside must keep the gutters clean,” he warned. “If you fail to do so, we will remove you from those spaces. And when that happens, you cannot blame the Assembly Member, the DCE, or the MP — you must blame your own negligence.”
According to him, the Assembly has adopted continuous education and engagement as a strategy to instil proper sanitation habits among residents.
“We are engaging residents, especially roadside traders, to create awareness and educate them on their responsibility to keep their surroundings clean in line with Assembly by-laws,” he explained.
Describing the situation uncovered during the exercise as disturbing, Hon. Boateng revealed that human waste was found in the drains.
“What is worrying is that during the desilting, we encountered very despicable materials, including human faeces,” he disclosed. “Some residents had dumped waste directly into the drains, while others had installed pipes to discharge human excreta into the gutters.”
He reiterated that such practices would no longer be tolerated.
“After this exercise, such acts must cease completely,” he stressed. “We will not treat these matters as family issues anymore — offenders will be prosecuted.”
The Secretary of the Meduma Unit Committee, Mr. Set Amponsah, expressed satisfaction with the high level of youth participation, describing it as a positive sign for the future of the community.
“Today, we took a collective decision to come onto the streets to clean our environment and drains,” he said. “We believe cleanliness has the potential to accelerate development and reduce diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea.”
He noted that poor sanitation has long contributed to the prevalence of preventable diseases in the area, making the exercise both timely and necessary.
A member of the Unit Committee, Madam Barekesu Amadu, also urged residents to put aside political differences and support communal initiatives.
“When you live in a community, you have a responsibility to contribute to its development,” she said. “We are not doing this for the interest of any political party, whether NDC or NPP. This is about the total well-being of Meduma.”
She emphasized that unity and cooperation are essential for sustainable development.
“I urge all residents to respect the laws and ensure that Meduma remains clean at all times,” she added. “If the community develops, it will positively impact everyone’s well-being.”
The exercise is expected to be sustained through regular clean-up activities and strict enforcement of sanitation by-laws, as local authorities intensify efforts to transform Meduma into a cleaner and healthier community.
“This exercise is not just about cleaning the town,” a resident who is DJ and Sound Engineer, Akwasi Gyimah close to the organisers noted. “It is about instilling discipline, encouraging community participation, and ensuring a healthier environment for all.”
He noted the strong sense of unity and support demonstrated by the Member of Parliament, Akwasi Gyamfi Onyina-Acheampong, the Assembly Member, Ebenezer Agyenim Boateng, former MCE Opoku Agyemang, and the entire community — including the youth and women — expressing deep satisfaction with the collective performance and describing the exercise as both successful and worthy of emulation.
