Sakomono (Tema), April 30, GNA - The Chief of Tema, Nii Adjei Kraku II, on Saturday led various youth groups in the Tema Municipality in a five-hour clean-up exercise at the Tema beach in preparation towards its development into a tourist site.

The youth, drawn from Ashaiman, Tema and Tema Manhean engaged in weeding, sweeping and clearing of refuse, mostly used polyethylene. Nii Kraku stated that he targeted the youth for the exercise in order to inculcate in them the spirit of cleanliness. He hoped they would volunteer in subsequent exercises.

He said he intends using the coastline from Tema to Chorkor in Accra as a pilot scheme of a "Project Ghana Shoreline" project initiated by him. Under the project, the chief said, his ultimate aim is to develop Ghana's shoreline from Aflao to Axim into a tourist attraction within five years.

He said under the programme, recreational and sanitary facilities would be constructed and beautified at the beaches while inhabitants along the shores would be educated to the negative effects of polluting or degrading the environment, to sensitise them against indiscriminate defecation and dumping of refuse around.

Nii Kraku, who is working in partnership with "City 2000 Youth Action International" a non-profit body based in Tema and some marine consultants, said feasibility studies had already been conducted on the project.

To ensure the success implementation of the project, to be launched on May 12, the chief appealed to corporate bodies, especially those sited in Tema to donate in cash or kind.

He expressed gratitude to some institutions, including the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Hull Blyth Ghana Limited, Pioneer Food Cannery Limited Koffeson Ghana limited, SDV Ghana Limited, Ice Cool Ghana limited and Standard Chartered Bank for donating towards the cleaning exercise.