Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the vice president, has urged chiefs and other traditional leaders to support government efforts to preserve the environment and maintain the surrounding areas, particularly rivers and other water bodies, clean and beneficial to mankind.
The Vice President stated that it is the responsibility of the current generation to uphold and defend the ancient tradition of keeping the environment clean and healthy for posterity and generations yet to come at this year's Ohum Festival of the Chiefs and people of Akyem Abuakwa at Kyebi in the Eastern Region on Saturday, June 25, 2022.
The Akyems have traditionally utilised the Ohum celebration to express gratitude to God for gifting their country with the Birim River. The sons and daughters of Okyeman use items from the land and the river as symbols during this time to remember their ancestors who struggled and persisted in maintaining the society, and they also make promises to carry on the tradition and maintain the kingdom's strength, freedom, prosperity, and peace throughout the festival.
Dr. Bawumia lamented that the river's current condition and that of many other water bodies in the nation left much to be desired. "Nananom, Ladies and Gentlemen, as we make a commitment today to uphold the custom of our forefathers in maintaining the safety and cleanliness of our environment, we should consider the current sad condition of the Birim river, the pride of Okyeman. Our waterways in Ghana are alarmingly carelessly contaminated nowadays. Either we have carelessly contaminated the rivers with our galamsay operations or we have encroached into the river route for human habitation. These activities subject the seas to contamination in all its forms.
"Everyone, including the government, must be committed to eradicating this cancer of environmental deterioration and pollution. In the past, Nananom and local officials dealt with the challenges of squalor in our neighbourhoods via community work and volunteering. However, it appears that we are no longer aware of this wonderful project and activities. I beg Nananom to join forces with the regional administrative authorities to reawaken the spirit of cooperation that may help combat the squalor in our society.
The Vice President promised that the government will continue to support initiatives like Operation Vanguard to demonstrate our dedication to safeguarding the environment and water resources. In this endeavour, Nananom and the people of Ghana will need to continue to support us.