Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has appealed to chiefs and religious leaders in the Tamale Metropolis, to canvass support for the forthcoming District Assembly Elections, to ensure that it receives massive patronage.

He said this would engender enthusiasm among the people about the assembly elections scheduled for next month, to ensure that good candidates were elected to help in executing the government’s development agenda at the local government level.

He said Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) controlled a lot of resources and formed the basis of national development, hence the need to elect candidates who would help to ensure proper planning and the execution of projects.

Mr Vanderpuye made the appeal when he met with chiefs and religious leaders in the Tamale Metropolis at separate fora on Monday to inform, as well as seek their support for the impending National Sanitation Exercise, to be hosted by the Northern Region on Saturday.

Some of the palaces visited included Lamashie-Naa, Sagnarigu-Lana, Banvim-Lana, Dakpema, Buglana, and Gulkpe-Naa, whiles the religious bodies included Catholic Archdiocese of Tamale, Chief Imams of the Central Mosque, and the Anbariya Mosque in Tamale.

The government, about three months ago, launched the National Sanitation Exercise and set aside every first Saturday of every month as National Sanitation Day, for the citizenry to clean their surroundings to rid the country of filth.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and the Northern Regional Minister have also been touring other parts of the region, to seek support of the overlords of Dagbon, Gonjaland, and Mamprugu, among others, for this Saturday’s National Sanitation Exercise.

Mr Vanderpuye pointed out that governance had changed from pure centralization to decentralization, adding that government was, therefore, working to bring governance to the doorsteps of the people, to ensure efficiency in the delivery of projects.

He also appealed to the chiefs and religious leaders in the Metropolis, to support the government’s quest to rid the country of filth by impressing on their followers to clean their surroundings in the forthcoming National Sanitation Exercise, to be hosted by the Northern Region on Saturday.

He disclosed that waste bins and other logistics would be provided to all MMDAs in the region, to be placed at vantage points, to collect rubbish to ensure the success and sustenance of the sanitation exercise.

Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, Deputy Northern Regional Minister, underscored the importance of cleanliness in the lives of individuals and the country as a whole, and appealed to all to support the National Sanitation Exercise.

All the chiefs and religious leaders visited, pledged their support for the National Sanitation Exercise, and gave the assurance of impressing on their followers to come out in their numbers, to participate in the exercise.

Alhaji Abdulai Ziblim, Lamashie-Naa said he would direct a temporary closure of all shops and businesses within his jurisdiction, to ensure that all participated in the exercise to ensure its success.