NCCE CAMPAIGNS ON KEEPING OUR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN

The Head Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) embarked on a clean-up exercise on 5^th October, 2022, at the Salaga Market in Accra. The exercise began at 9:00 am and ended at 11:45 am. This activity was undertaken in collaboration with the Miss. Ghana Beauty Pageant and in accordance with Article 41k of the 1992 Constitution which states “….to protect and safeguard the environment…..”

The main aim of the programme was to demonstrate good environmental practices, as has been done severally in the past. In attendance was the Chairperson of the Commission, Ms. Kathy Addy, winner of the Miss Ghana Beauty Pageant, Ms. Miriam Xorlaxi Tordzeagbo and Ms. Irene Vanessa Vifah, the Miss Civic Champion (Miss Ghana Contestant as well). Heads of Departments and their Deputies and all staff of the Head Office. Target groups engaged were the market women, GPRTU station members, mobile money vendors, and commuters.

Ms. Kathy Addy educated the public on environmental governance and sustainable living, which is one of the focal areas of the Commission. Ms. Addy emphasized, “If everyone should keep their surroundings clean, we’ll have a clean city, if all the cities are clean, we’ll have a clean country, and cleanliness has an impact on our health”. She explained the correlation between poor environmental practices, particularly plastic waste, it’s effect on our health and our finances. Some poor environmental practices include indiscriminate littering, dumping waste in gutters especially when it rains coupled with poor drainage systems, causing floods in the cities.

Ms. Kathy explained that achieving good sanitary conditions is not a one-day affair, therefore there is the need to consistently educate citizens. She highlighted that cleanliness is a personal responsibility, and that it behooves on every citizen to contribute their quota to sustain a clean Ghana. The inadequate number of bins at vantage points is not a problem if we keep our waste either in our bags, pockets or hold them till we get finally dispose of them at the nearest waste bin.

Indeed, leadership by example is the way forward in instilling good moral values in the Ghanaian citizenry. Ghana first!