Bolgatanga: Residents of the Sumbrungu community in the Bolgatanga Municipality have taken a decisive step toward improving sanitation and environmental cleanliness in the area. To this end, the leadership of the community has begun a community-wide clean-up exercise and sensitisation, aimed at transforming the area into one of the cleanest in the municipality and creating awareness on the need to clean up their frontage and ensure a sustainable environment.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative, led by the Sumbrungu Youth and Development Association in collaboration with Assembly Members and traditional leaders, brought together residents to clear refuse from key parts of the community, including markets, gutters, roads, and other public places. Mr Albert Adongo, the President of the Association, noted that the exercise was the beginning of a community resolve and sustained effort to promote environmental cleanliness and public health.
Mr Adongo stated, "We believe that the growth of the community must go hand in hand with cleanliness. For us to be strong, healthy, and drive development, the environment must be clean. This exercise is not the end, it marks the beginning of a continuous process to keep Sumbrungu clean," he stressed. He emphasised that sanitation remained a top priority for the group, noting that maintaining a clean environment would contribute significantly to the overall well-being and development of the community.
Mr Adongo acknowledged that not all residents participated in the exercise, with some traders keeping their shops open, and assured that stronger measures would be implemented in future exercises, including improved communication and stricter enforcement. "In the next exercise, we will ensure that information reaches every household, and all shops will be closed until the clean-up is completed. We will also enforce assembly by-laws to punish those who violate sanitation regulations."
Mr Elias Ayinbila Apasiya, the Assembly Member for the Sumbrungu-Azorebisi Electoral Area, who spoke on behalf of the four Assembly Members of the four electoral areas in Sumbrungu, highlighted the urgency of the initiative, describing sanitation as a major challenge in the community. He said: "Approaching Sumbrungu, especially along the Trans-ECOWAS Road, the level of filth has been an eyesore. We cannot leave everything to the government, because as residents, we have a responsibility to keep our environment clean."
He stressed that the exercise would be a routine activity rather than a one-off event and called on all residents to actively participate in future clean-up efforts. "This is for all of us. If the environment is not clean, it affects everyone. We must develop a communal spirit and contribute our part to improve our community," he added.
Mr Roland Atanga Ayoo, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), commended the initiative, describing it as a commendable example of community-led development. "I am very impressed with what I have seen today. If other communities emulate Sumbrungu, we will achieve significant progress in addressing sanitation challenges."
He noted that while sanitation remained a major issue in the municipality, collective action involving community members, traditional leaders, and local authorities was key to overcoming it. The MCE revealed that since assuming office in 2025, the Municipality has seen improvement in terms of sanitation and reiterated the commitment of the Assembly to continue to intensify education and support initiatives to reclaim the past glory of Bolgatanga as the cleanest city in the country.
"I believe that the sensitisation we have been carrying out that sanitation is a shared responsibility is gaining ground and if other communities take up this challenge, we will be on the path to success," he said.