The once hygienic and cleanest city of Bolgatanga, according to Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng, has given way to despicable filth, compelling President John Atta Mills to complain. President Atta Mills paid a two-day working visit to the Upper East Region this week as part of his tour of northern Ghana and could not believe the extent to which the streets of of Bolga have been strewn with polythene. “I have gone round during the last two days, and the sight that has greeted me has been most unwelcome. “The sight of polythene bags here, polythene bags there, polythene bags everywhere. My brothers and sisters we have to take care of our environment.” Seth Kwame Boateng, who has been traveling with the President, said Prof. Mills has directed all municipal and district assemblies in the region to take immediate steps to clear the region of filth. Judging by how animal excreta and plastic waste have taken over the shoulders of the streets in most parts of the region, Seth said the situation was “disgusting”. The situation is even said to be worse within the immediate environs of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council. More worrying, he said was the disregard for laws regarding sanitation. In one of the communities, Kwame Boateng noted that a Zoomline poster telling people that a particular place had been cleared and warning people to stop dumping refuse there has been ignored while people continue to dump refuse there. The District Chief Executive for Builsa, Norbert Awulley told Joy News the President’s directive that they should keep the place clean would be heeded without hesitation. “Once the president has spoken...that particular problem will be dealt with,” he assured. He said schools, churches and everybody would be involved in the "special exercise". Mr Awulley said the district had been working on keeping the district clean, but conceded that it was not enough. Samuel Ofusu Ampofo, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, said his ministry will take action to ensure that sanitation is taken seriously throughout the country. He said the ministry is considering setting up an industry to recycle plastic waste, which he hoped will generate employment directly and indirectly. Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline.com