Movement for Development Ghana (MFDG), a pro-democracy group, has appealed to the Presidency to retain Mr Samuel Sarpong as Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) for Kumasi.

The group contended that the Mayor's retention would help foster continuity in development programmes, particularly in the areas of sanitation, environmental awareness and health.

The Mayor, who is currently acting as the MCE, had in the last four years been at the forefront of the campaign for environmental cleanliness, a move that brought significant reduction in the recurrent incidents of communicable diseases.

He had also worked tirelessly to nip in the bud the rampant encroachment on school lands, pollution of water bodies and erecting structures along such bodies in order to check flooding in the metropolis.

Nana Michael Ampong, President of the MFDG, told the GNA on Sunday in Kumasi that, it behoves on stakeholders to give serious attention to sanitation and environmental issues.

This was the only way the nation could achieve the Millennium Development Goals in those sectors for accelerated growth.

Nana Ampong also called on President John Mahama to strive to retain all hardworking Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to help strengthen governance at the grassroots.