The initiative is intended to promote proper waste disposal and improve public hygiene, particularly in rapidly growing communities.

The presentation ceremony was attended by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Emmanuel Kwame Frimpong, the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr Abdul Rahman Salam, the Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Mr James Oware, heads of departments, Assembly Members, traditional leaders and members of the public.

Addressing the gathering, Hon. Frimpong said environmental sanitation remains a top priority of the government, adding that President John Dramani Mahama had directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to place sanitation at the centre of their development agenda.

He stressed that maintaining a clean environment is a shared responsibility and called on residents, Assembly Members and other stakeholders to work together to improve sanitation rather than relying solely on law enforcement.

The MCE announced that the Assembly intends to procure and distribute four skip containers annually to help address waste management challenges across the municipality.

He explained that the containers presented to the Adum, Maakrom, Zongo and Atekyem electoral areas in Bechem were initially scheduled for distribution in 2025 but were handed over this year. He added that another batch would be distributed in 2026 as part of the Assembly's sanitation improvement programme.

Hon. Frimpong appealed to beneficiary communities to maintain the containers and use them responsibly to prevent indiscriminate dumping and ensure a cleaner environment.

The Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Mr James Oware, said the distribution of the containers was in response to the municipality's growing population, which has led to increased waste generation.
He explained that the new containers would supplement existing ones in fast-growing communities and replace old and damaged containers that were no longer fit for use.

Mr Oware further disclosed that the Assembly plans to extend waste management services to newly developed residential communities, including the rapidly expanding Techimantia Township.

He urged Assembly Members to educate residents on the proper use of the skip containers and encouraged them to provide ladders or similar structures to enable residents to dispose of waste into the containers safely without littering the surrounding areas.

Mr Oware also advised residents to keep the surroundings of the containers clean at all times and to dispose of waste responsibly.

He acknowledged that achieving full waste management coverage remains a challenge but assured residents of the Assembly's commitment to expanding sanitation services and improving waste collection throughout the municipality.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiary communities, Hon. Frank Fosu Darkwa, Assembly Member for the Ahenbronoso Electoral Area, expressed gratitude to Hon. Frimpong and the Municipal Assembly for their commitment to improving sanitation.

He said the provision of the skip containers would significantly improve waste management and help realise the Assembly's vision of making Tano South one of the cleanest municipalities in the region.

Hon. Darkwa appealed to his colleague Assembly Members and residents to ensure the containers were properly maintained to guarantee the sustainability of the initiative.

He also called on Zoomlion Ghana Limited to empty the containers regularly to prevent them from overflowing and creating sanitation hazards.