Shape Attitude Ghana and STRATCOM-UEW Students Promote Cleanliness at Winneba Station
Shape Attitude Ghana, in partnership with Level 400 students from the Department of Strategic Communication (STRATCOM) at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and the WELLVE Foundation, has led a public education and cleanup campaign at the Winneba Main Lorry Station.
The campaign was designed to promote proper waste disposal and environmental cleanliness. The campaign, dubbed the “Ahotsew Campaign,” was held under the theme “Ahotsew ma Apowmudzen,” which translates as “Cleanliness Brings Good Health.” It brought together students, transport operators and members of the public for a cleanup exercise and public education on the importance of maintaining clean surroundings.
Mr. Michael Nyarkom
Speaking during the campaign, a representative of Shape Attitude Ghana, Mr. Michael Nyarkom, raised concerns about the attitudes of some passengers and drivers towards waste disposal at the station and in commercial vehicles.
He noted that the indiscriminate disposal of waste could contribute to the spread of diseases such as cholera and malaria while also creating conditions that could contribute to flooding in communities.
Mr. Nyarkom urged passengers, drivers and other members of the public to take personal responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean by disposing of waste appropriately. He encouraged the public to adopt the campaign's call to action, “Don't dirty to clean,” emphasising that preventing littering was better than waiting to clean up polluted surroundings.
Miss Aminatu Mohammed
Miss Aminatu Mohammed, an Assistant Group Leader for the project, explained that the campaign was designed to raise awareness about the importance of cleanliness among drivers, passengers and other users of the station.
She said the Winneba Main Lorry Station was selected because it serves as a major transport terminal where large numbers of people converge and begin their journeys to different destinations.
According to her, maintaining cleanliness at such a busy transport hub was therefore essential to protecting public health and creating a more pleasant environment for commuters and transport operators.
Dr. Belinda Osei-Mensah
Dr. Belinda Osei-Mensah, a lecturer at the Department of Strategic Communication, who supported the campaign, stressed that a clean lorry station was important for the safety and wellbeing of both travellers and transport operators.
She commended the students for taking the initiative to address environmental concerns within the community and encouraged them to sustain their commitment to environmental advocacy beyond their university education.
As part of the campaign, the students, with support from their partners, donated three dustbins to the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at the Winneba Station to facilitate proper waste disposal.
Mr. S. A. Anaafi, the General Secretary of the Union, received the dustbins on behalf of the GPRTU and expressed appreciation to the students and their partners for the initiative. He assured the organisers that the dustbins would be strategically positioned at the station to make them easily accessible to passengers, drivers and other users and thereby encourage proper disposal of waste.
The Ahotsew Campaign forms part of efforts by Shape Attitude Ghana and its partners to promote positive attitudes and responsible behaviours that contribute to cleaner, healthier and more sustainable communities.