Accra, July 7, GNA- Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on Tuesday said if rigorous measures were not taken to educate the public on the need to keep healthy environment government's quest to reduce poverty and create wealth would be in vain.

He said this was because the price individuals pay for living in an unhealthy environment was incalculable and that there was the need for a collaborative effort to deal with the situation. Mr. Adjei-Darko made the remarks when he commissioned 150 sanitation vehicles and 1000 refuse containers at the cost of 4.8 million Euros in Accra.

The Minister said when challenges of sanitation are brought under control, it would set the stage for economic activities to thrive for the creation of wealth.

He said the delivery of the vehicles and the equipment was a demonstration of government commitment to rid the country of filth to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

Mr. Adjei-Darko noted that already government had distributed 194 waste containers to 23 district assemblies under the Urban V Project. He however, urged the district assemblies to ensure the equipments were maintained for the communities to derive maximum benefit from the investment.

" The practice where waste containers are left at the mercies of the weather must be stopped as well as the indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the towns and cities," he added.