Lawra Senior Citizens urged to champion sanitation issues

By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA

Lawra, (U/W), July 3, GNA- Senior Citizens in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region have been encouraged to champion issues of good sanitation in their various communities to help promote healthy living among the people.

Mr Martin Domotiere Bomba-ire, the Lawra District Chief Executive (DCE) who gave the encouragement during the maiden Lawra District Senior Citizens Forum thanked God for giving their senior citizens long life to contribute to the development of the district and the nation at large.

He said if senior citizens were seen vigorously championing good sanitation practices in their various communities, the youth stood the chance of emulating their example.

The theme for the forum “Cleanliness Promotes Productivity: the role of senior citizens” according to the DCE was apt not only because the day coincided with the National Sanitation Day, but because of the enormous benefits they stood to gain in sustaining the culture of cleanliness.

Mr Bomba-ire noted that cleanliness did not only prevent them from attracting sanitation related diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and even malaria but also helped in saving money and time which could be channeled into other productive ventures.

The DCE noted however that cleanliness bordered on lifestyles, which were anchored on habits and thus required time for behavioural change.

“The foregoing therefore puts enormous responsibility on the shoulders of senior citizens to help imbibe this sub-culture of cleanliness into our children”, he emphasized.

Mr Daniel Banuoku, a Deputy Director the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD) applauded the days of Sanitary Inspectors where people were alerted in keeping the environment neat to avoid issues with the Sanitary Inspector.

“At the mention of a Sanitary Inspector’s name, everybody was up trying to put things in order”, he emphasized and noted that because of this, issues of sanitation and personal hygiene those days were taking serious by everyone.

Mr Banuoku lamented that days had been declared as the National Sanitation Days and yet people’s attitude towards sanitation still kept worsening.

He therefore charged senior citizens to champion sanitation awareness in their communities to help bring about the needed attitudinal change in society.

Mr Joseph B Halaeh, a member of the Ghana Government Pensioners Association hailed the Lawra District Assembly and CIKOD for organizing the forum and promised that they would help raise sanitation awareness at the community level.

Mr James K. Kuubar, a member of the National Pensioners Association appealed for the establishment of recreational facilities where old people could go and relax while playing some games.

Mr B. B. Suurweh, a Pensioner said it was a pity that some pensioners went to the bank to queue just to take GH¢10.00 at the end of the month.

He appealed to government to identify pensioners with monthly allowance of GH¢100.00 and below and enrolled them unto the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme to mitigate their sufferings.

The event which marked the 57th Republic Day Anniversary Celebration was organized by the Lawra District Assembly with support from CIKOD.

It was a day set aside to commemorate senior citizens for their invaluable service to Ghana and highlight challenges that confront the aged as well as tap into their reservoir of experience to help grow mother Ghana.

The senior citizens were treated to different kinds of food and drinks as well as free medical screenings.

GNA

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