Takoradi, Jan 9, GNA- Mr. Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive, on Tuesday said the assembly has instituted a sanitation programme to keep the environment clean during the country's 50th Independence Anniversary and the CAN 2008.

He was addressing about 125 workers of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a waste management company, after they had engaged in a seven-hour clean-up exercise at Takoradi and selected areas of the Metropolis. The workers swept streets and de-silted drains at Sekondi and Takoradi and cleared a huge refuse dump at Kwesimintsim.

Mr. Nkrumah said the Golden Jubilee celebration and the CAN 2008 would attract a lot of visitors and it is proper that the environment is kept clean particularly during the two occasions. He said the assembly would release its sanitation programme for the communities and urged the general public and stakeholders to assist and ensure its success.

Mr. Nkrumah announced that the assembly would soon launch its Urban Sanitation Programme as a back up to the sanitation programme for the two events.

Mr. Felix Boankrah, an official of ZoomLion Ghana Limited, said the company would undertake free clean-up exercises in all districts in the country as part of its social services programme. He said waste management has become a problem to the government and district assemblies because of the lack of logistics as well as the increase in population.

Mr. Boankrah said the company is looking forward to offering a sustainable environmentally friendly and affordable waste management.