Kumasi Nov. 8 GNA- The Ashanti Regional Minister, has hailed the National Environmental Sanitation Policy (NESP), for its objective to establish institutional framework to support structures under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, to manage environmental sanitation effectively.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo said the NESP was also aimed at modernising, strengthening and enforcing legislations on environmental sanitation and increase private sector in waste management.

He was speaking at a Youth Environment Forum organised by the Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Agency in Kumasi.

The Regional Minister expressed the need for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to be equipped to enable them handle waste management and preservation of the environment competently. Over 300 students attended the Forum on the theme: "Thirty Years of Environmental Protection, Waste Management, Challenges For the Future". Mr Boafo appealed to the EPA, to interpret its public education on the environment in the local languages to reach a large number of people with the message.

Mrs Philomena Boakye-Appiah, the acting Regional Director of the EPA said through the efforts of the Agency the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies had been able to establish a Waste Management Project at Asafo, Chirapatre, Ahinsan, Buobai, a landfill and septage plant at Dompoase, an incinerator at Mampong and an oxidation pond at Obuasi.

Mrs Boakye-Appiah said the EPA aimed at forging partnership with stakeholders to ensure the success of its operations.

During an open forum, the participants expressed concern about the increasing number of environmental problems such as bushfires, depletion of forests resources and indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

They suggested the need for schools in the Region to form environmental clubs to educate people in their localities on the need to ensure clean surroundings.

Mr Wiafe Akenten, an Educationist who chaired the function, asked the public to team up with the EPA to solve the numerous environmental problems in the Region. 08 Nov. 04