Two years of operation of SHAPE Attitude Ghana

June 2016 marked the second year of establishment of Shape Attitude Ghana and commencement of activities on sensitisation on attitudinal change towards environmental cleanliness. To mark the occasion, selected pupils aged between 3 to 10 years from four schools were assembled for a sensitisation talk at the Seventh Day Adventist School assembly hall.

In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Professor Raheem Kolawole, Head of the Centre for School and Community Science and Technology Studies of the University of Education, Winneba (SACOST/UEW) advised the pupils to cultivate positive attitude in all aspects of life, and that is one of the pillars to a successful educational attainment. Professor Kolawole laid emphasis on respecting the environment that supports the existence of mankind. He explained to the pupils the negative consequences of keeping a dirty environment like cholera, malaria, typhoid, yellow fever, and other related diseases. He then advised them to refrain from indiscriminate littering and dumping of refuse at unauthorised places in order to prevent some of those consequences. Professor Kolawole touched on noise pollution which he said has very serious health implications. He specifically referred to the use of earphones over long periods at high volumes by the youngsters and reminded them that they are destroying their hearing capacity as they grow up. He concluded by asking the pupils to be the watchdogs and ambassadors of the environment and its.

The founder and director of Shape Attitude Ghana, Mr Wonderful Baisie Ghartey, made reference to the over one billion cedis that Ghana loses annually due to poor sanitary conditions and said the money could be spent in providing social infrastructure like schools, water and health care. Mr Ghartey said the theme of 2016 World Environment Day, “Join the race to make the world a better place” enjoins us to individually and collectively contribute in protecting the environment. One way of doing so is to keep the environment clean. Mr Ghartey made a practical demonstration to the pupils on how underground water is not well replenished when the earth is filled with plastic materials through littering and thereby reduce the seepage of water. He echoed the advice of Professor Kolawole for the pupils to adopt positive attitude and respect for the environment.

Other speakers at the function were Ms Anna Obir-Bonney, a Health Promotion Officer from the Ghana Health Services, Mr Kennedy Aboagye of SACOST/UEW, Mr Eric Sekyere Appiah also of UEW. The rest were Mr Solomon Donkoh and Elder Stephen Timpong from the S.D.A School.

Shape Attitude Ghana distributed 7 trash bins, posters and “Do not litter” bag stickers to the pupils at the function.

The pupils were drawn from the Zion D School, Ampah Preparatory, Eden Primary and S.D.A. School and were accompanied by their teachers.

In attendance were Radio Peace Winneba and Radio Windy Bay of the University of Education, Winneba.