Civic educator expresses concern over poor sanitary conditions in markets
Mr Richard Mosiah Ababa Allen, a Civic Educator, has expressed worry over the poor sanitary conditions in some major markets in the country.
He said some of the popular markets in most of the regional capitals had no toilets and urinal facilities, which was unfortunate and unacceptable.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Thursday in Sunyani, Mr Allen, 52, who described himself as a nationalist, said he had taken the responsibility to walk across the length and breadth of the country to educate tax-payers, particularly traders and market women, on their civic rights and responsibilities.
His walk, titled: “Tribute to the Martyrs: The Visitations Walk,” had created an opportunity for him to reach out to the lager populace to sensitise them on the benefits of paying tax, create awareness on good sanitation and instill discipline in the youth.
Mr Allen said he started the walk, which would last for six-months from Accra to other parts of the country, on January 25 to June 25, 2018.
The civic educator added that he had covered Volta, Northern, Upper East, Upper West and parts of Brong-Ahafo and Ashanti regions.
He observed that some market women and traders were always reluctant to pay their taxes, tolls and rates because some of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies had failed to provide their pressing needs at the markets.
Mr Allen explained that though payment of taxes was a civic responsibility, tax collectors must also endeavour to remain accountable to the people and provide communities with some basic social amenities.
“By so doing, it would be easy for the assemblies’ revenue collectors to reach out to tax-payers to mobilise the required revenue needed for development,” he said.
That, notwithstanding, Mr Allen advised tax payers to honour their tax obligations to help government to mobilise funds to construct roads, health and educational infrastructure and social amenities.
The general sanitation situation in the country was not the best, he said, and called on the media to lead the campaign to help change the behaviour of citizens on indiscriminate littering and refuse disposal.
Mr Allen is a native of Anomabo in the Mfantsiman West Municipality of the Central Region and Executive Member of the Universal Black Improvement Association, a group that seeks the improvement of the black race in Africa.
He, therefore, said there was the need to imbibe in the youth the spirit of patriotism to enable them to become nationalistic and contribute selflessly to development.
Source: GNA