The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) is calling on Government and state agencies to strictly enforce relevant laws against Ghanaians who build at unauthorised places and on waterways to avoid perennial flooding in the country.

Again, the Council has called on all Ghanaians to live up to their civic responsibilities and stop the indiscriminate littering of the drains with refuse, especially plastic waste.

Enforcement of Laws, essential

The General Secretary, Rev. Emmanuel T. Barrigah said this in a signed Press Statement issued on behalf of the Council.

“We are calling on Government and all relevant State Agencies to as a matter of urgency to endeavour to be alive to their responsibilities by strictly enforcing the relevant laws against the siting of unauthorised buildings and structures on waterways, tans the supervision of the construction of substandard drains in flood-prone areas. The Council is also calling on all Ghanaians to live up to our civic responsibilities by stopping the indiscriminate littering of the drains with refuse, especially plastic waste,”the statement said.

According to the Council, until the government strictly enforces the laws of the Country on buildings and sanitation with punitive sanctions meted out to offenders without regard to societal and political status, Ghanaians would continue to behave irresponsibly.

The need for political will

Encouraging the Government to muster the political will to strictly enforce the proposed ban on the manufacture and importation of single-use plastic products in the country as a matter of urgency, the Council urged key state institutions such as the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the National Disaster Management Authority, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and their sub-structures to enforce the relevant laws without undue political interference in their work.

“The Council wishes to encourage the Government to muster the political will by strictly enforcing the proposed ban on the manufacture and importation of single-use plastic products in the country as a matter of urgency, while working in the short to medium term to strengthen the capacities and independence of key state institutions such as the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the National Disaster Management Authority, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and their sub-structures to enforce the relevant laws without undue political interference in their appointments and work,” the General Secretary noted.

Pledging their support to help end perennial flooding in the country, the Council urged its members to comply with the laws of the Country as a way to support the government to save lives and properties.

SOURCE: GPCC NEWS

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