Central Regional Minister Calls Religious Leaders to Promote Environmental Hygiene

Central Regional Minister Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah has challenged religious leaders, clergy, Imams and chiefs across Ghana, especially in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District, to harness their pulpits and mosques to preach against environmental degradation such as littering and illegal dumping. Speaking at an accountability forum organised by the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly about the 2025 District Assemblies’ Common Fund, he explained that 10 per cent of that allocation could be saved if communities heeded such messages and acted responsibly, freeing resources for schools and health facilities; he urged the public to continue backing the Assembly, the local Member of Parliament and the government to deliver more projects that uplift living standards. Mrs Olivia Bentil, the District Chief Executive for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, reiterated the district’s ambition to become a benchmark for sustainable development, highlighting a population of roughly 143,780 recorded in the 2021 Census and a structure of 32 electoral areas, eight towns and area councils, while stressing the need for collective effort in advancing Ghana’s environmental and developmental agenda.

The call aligns with a broader trend where local officials across Ghana are partnering with traditional and faith authorities to drive behavioural change in sanitation, reflecting past initiatives that encouraged chiefs and religious figures to champion community wellness, education and agricultural best practices; such collaborations have historically fostered public buy-in and emboldened policy implementation in rural settings.

Mr Eduamoah emphasized that attitudinal shifts cannot be achieved without the strategic use of trusted communal spaces, urging stakeholders to view the pulpit and mosque not merely as places of worship but as catalysts for national development; he also reminded residents that prudent management of the Common Fund would enable continued investment in critical sectors, thereby reinforcing the government’s commitment to improving Ghanaian lives.