Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL) Tarkwa Mines has crowned Tebe, a farming community in the Prestea Huni-Valley constituency as the cleanest community for 2019.

They took home 20 wheel barrows, 16 long brooms, seven rakes, seven shovels, 20 industrial gloves, 20 machetes and four dustbins as their prize.

The second position went to New Atuabo followed by Brahabebome, Akoon, Samahu, Abekoase, Huniso and Pepesa communities respectively. They also received wheel barrows, shovels, rakes, cutlass, industrial gloves, long brooms and dust bins.

The competition which had eight communities participating from GFGL Tarkwa Mines operational area was instituted in 2012 by the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation to improve on health and sanitation in its host communities.

All the eight communities were evaluated on water usage and revenue management, personal hygiene, decent place of convenient and waste disposal for a period of four months.

Speaking at the function, Mr Abdel Razak Yakubu, Gold Fields Regional Manager for Sustainable Development Projects, stated that the mining giant spent GHC 23,000 for this year’s award ceremony.

He emphasised that Gold Fields was committed to improving sanitation in its host communities and therefore appealed to the Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Assemblies to adopt this cleanest community programme to address the sanitation challenges in the two Municipalities.

Mr Yakubu pleaded with communities in its catchment areas to make cleanliness a habit to ensure healthy life and also prevent the outbreak of preventable diseases such as malaria, cholera and typhoid.

Nana Adarkwa Bediako III, Gyasehene of Apinto Divisional Council commended Gold Fields for recognising the hardwork of their host communities and urged the residents to do their best to enhance sanitation in the area.

He charged Ghanaians to change their attitudes towards sanitation to help in the fight against the menace confronting the nation.