The event coincided with World Clean-up Day which began in 2008, to clean homes and streets in the small northern Europe country of Estonia.

The programme, supported by Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) through  Abosso Gold Fields Limited (AGL), attracted enthusiastic youth, volunteers,  assembly members, unit committees, chiefs, corporate organisations and Damang Mine staff, who cleaned palaces, Huni Valley Clinic area, social grounds, markets  and waste disposal sites.

In an interview with the Ghanaian Times, the Chairman of Huni Valley Youth Association and also coordinator of the programme, Justice Frimpong, said the initiative, which began in 2020, was the brainchild of Chief Executive of Zero Waste Bosomtwi, Mr Ebenezer Afful.

Initially, he recalled that, the event was held only in Huni Valley, but, the Damang, Amoanda and Bompieso communities were added this year, to expand and increase participation in environmental cleanliness  in the  mining areas.

He said “In the next five years, we expect it to be an embracing catchment programme beyond the four areas even up to Prestea, Bogoso and Takoradi, that’s our vision.

“The event today has been overwhelming and great. Partnership had also been good working with the chiefs, particularly Huni Valley chief, Nana Kwabena Amponsah. We will indeed make an impact on environmental cleanliness,” Mr Frimpong added.

He thanked AGL for their support.

The Senior Community Affairs Officer at Damang Mine, Eric Doe Ackuayi, also applauded the leadership shown by Huni Valley Youth and partners, adding that their efforts would help clean the environment and also be devoid of waste.

He believed the worldwide event would rekindle spirit of volunteerism and a driving force to maintain good environmental management in communities.

He said GFGF had spent about $1.3 million on water and sanitation programme and projects, including construction of toilets and solid waste management.

“AGL, through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation seeks to promote development in all our host communities.  Our focus areas include water and sanitation and if the whole world is commemorating this day, as a cleanup exercise, automatically, it falls within our key focus area when it comes to development. So we’re happy the youth in all these communities approached us and requested that the foundation collaborates with them,” Mr Ackuayi said.