The Church of Pentecost has been commended for embarking on its Environmental Care Campaign that aims at improving sanitation in the country.
The CEO of Sustainable Development Foundation (SUDEF-Ghana), an NGO in Sunyani, Mr. John Baidoo who made the commendation urged all churches and other religious bodies to emulate the initiative and dedicate some of their worship hours to educating their congregations on environmental discipline.
He said Religious bodies command a huge following and must therefore press home the need for attitudinal change and the fact that people have a divine duty to protect the environment.
Mr John Baidoo was speaking in an interview with GBC’s Radio Ghana in Sunyani.
The Church of Pentecost (COP) is currently engaged in a national Environmental Care Campaign to among others help rid Ghana of filth. The initiative focuses on education to engender attitudinal change towards improved sanitation, a push for law enforcement and the provision of facilities to promote efficient waste management.
The Campaign is one of the pillars of the church’s five-year strategic plan to transform society. The initiative is being executed on a multi-stakeholder strategy involving policy makers at the national and the local levels, traditional rulers and faith-based organisations (FBOs).
Also involved are the ministries of Sanitation and Water Resources, Environment, Science, Technology and Initiatives, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies as well as the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA).
The CEO of SUDEF-Ghana, an NGO in Sunyani, Mr. John Baidoo speaking to the GBC said the Church of Pentecost is showing the way so far as improving sanitation in Ghana goes.
He stated: “there is the need to identify Community Technical Volunteers who have the passion to ensure good sanitation is maintained in the country, while educating the public on good hygiene.”
He said all hands must be on deck to fight against filth in the country.
Mr Baidoo called for collaboration between Government and the private sector, the NGO Community, traditional rulers and religious bodies to better tackle the sanitation challenge, especially to do with provision of infrastructure such as public toilets, sewage systems and Container Based Sanitation equipment to amongst others.
He also called for attitudinal change among Ghanaians to check littering.
Story filed by Daniel Donkor.
