A district-wide sanitation campaign in Bawku West is gaining strong backing from religious leaders, as the Church of Pentecost joins forces with the District Assembly and other stakeholders to deepen community participation.
The exercise, held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the Zebilla market, forms part of an ongoing environmental care campaign led by the District Chief Executive, James Ayamwego, whose push for cleaner communities is driven by concerns over public health and safety.
Pastor Samuel Adanue, District Pastor for Binaba, said the exercise revealed worrying sanitation conditions, particularly clogged gutters and stagnant water, which he believes are contributing to disease in the area.
“Today’s exercise has been tremendous. We have seen the kind of dirt that has been stuck in our gutters, even leading to stagnant water, which I believe has contributed to some ailments in the district,” he told journalists.
Residents, church members, youth groups, and security agencies joined the clean-up, desilting gutters and clearing waste from the busy market centre. Some local transport operators also supported the effort by providing motorised tricycles to cart away refuse.
The campaign builds on an existing monthly clean-up initiative being championed by the Assembly in line with a national directive, with Mr. Ayamwego earlier stressing that the prevention of disease through sanitation remains his core motivation.
“We are desilting gutters to ensure the free flow of water, especially as the rains approach, to avoid public health challenges,” the DCE said in an interview with journalists.
For Pastor Adanue, however, the long-term success of the initiative will depend on sustained public commitment beyond organised exercises.
“We shouldn’t let this be a one-day wonder where we clean today and return to old habits tomorrow,” he cautioned. “Everyone must embrace the ‘clean your frontage’ initiative. If we do that, it will greatly improve sanitation and our health.”
He explained that while the Church of Pentecost has long promoted environmental cleanliness, this year’s collaboration with the Assembly and the Local Council of Churches has expanded the campaign’s reach and impact.
“We have partnered to broaden the exercise, and the participation we have seen today shows it will help the community. We are going to replicate this in our various communities so it is not only centred in Zebilla,” he said.
Pastor Adanue commended residents, market women, transport operators, and security personnel for their support, urging them to make sanitation a daily responsibility.
“Cleaning your immediate environment should be a habit for all of us. That is how we will achieve the goal of a clean and healthy community,” he added.
The Bawku West sanitation campaign, anchored on the theme “My Environment, My Responsibility,” continues to gather momentum, with authorities hopeful that sustained community involvement will translate into lasting public health gains.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Seidu Mutawakil | Zebilla
