Former President Jerry John Rawlings says the need for community vigilantism is “an absolute necessity” and “an absolute must”.
To him, vigilantes protecting the environment, for instance, can help prevent random and persistent dumping of refuse on the streets.
Rawlings made these assertions on Friday, December 14, 2018, during the 12th Thanks Giving Service of Jospong Group of Companies in Accra.
“No one supports thugs parading as vigilantes. No one!” he said, “however, the need for responsible community vigilantes to protect the environment is an absolute necessity and absolute must, especially, against the random and persistent dumping refuse along roadsides.
There’s no reason why such vigilantes cannot be mobilized to play a responsible supporting role to the security agencies.”
He, however, added that the role of government in ensuring the problem of sanitation is confronted in a serious manner cannot be exaggerated.
“No amount of innovation by you [zoomlion Ghana Limited] or your competitors or the government will succeed if we the Ghanaian refuse to be committed to strict environmental habit.
While there’s governmental commitment to a cleaner environment and efficient management of waste, I have to emphasize that we as ordinary Ghanaians have to appreciate the need to change our ways and commit ourselves to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse especially in our water bodies, reckless defecation on our coastal belt, and criminal dumping of bucket loads of refuse by small-scale refuse collection businesses at unapproved site, especially on the shoulders of our roads.”
The thanksgiving service was attended by ministers of state, Members of Parliament, chiefs, religious leaders among others
By: Joseph Nii Ankrah
