The Obeyeyie Forest Estate Landlords Association (OFELA) in the Ga West Municipal Assembly has revived the spirit of communal labour among residents as part of efforts to improve sanitation, drainage, security and the general appearance of the community.
The initiative has brought together members of the association and residents to undertake a series of activities aimed at addressing some of the key challenges confronting the rapidly developing community.
As part of the exercise, residents cleared overgrown bushes and vegetation from various parts of the estate, helping to improve sanitation and create a cleaner and healthier environment.
The exercise also focused on the community’s drainage system, with residents desilting clogged gutters and clearing drainage channels to allow stormwater to flow freely.
According to the association, the intervention is intended to reduce the risk of flooding, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall, while also encouraging residents to take greater responsibility for maintaining the drainage infrastructure around their homes.
The communal labour also extended to security, with the Landlords repairing and fixing faulty streetlights at some locations within the estate.
An OFELA member, who is an electrician, fixing a streetlight.
The restoration of the streetlights is expected to improve visibility at night and contribute to efforts to deter criminal activities, particularly robbery attacks in areas that may become vulnerable due to inadequate lighting.
The landlords believe that improved street lighting, combined with increased community vigilance, will help create a safer environment for people who commute to and from the estate after dark.
In addition to the clean-up and security interventions, the Landlords Association has initiated a tree-planting exercise along major streets in Obeyeyie Forest Estate aiming to beautifying the community while promoting a greener and healthier environment.
An OFELA member planting a tree.
Chairman of the Landlords Association, Patrick Adu Opoku, said the clean-up and tree-planting activities formed part of a broader effort to transform the estate and improve living conditions for residents.
He said the association is committed to encouraging residents to play an active role in maintaining the community and creating an environment that would be attractive to both residents and visitors.
Mr. Adu Opoku stressed the importance of sustaining the tree-planting programme and protecting the trees after they are planted to ensure that the initiative achieves its intended environmental and aesthetic benefits.
Beyond sanitation, drainage and environmental concerns, the association is also seeking improvements in electricity supply to the community.
Mr. Adu Opoku disclosed that the association had formally engaged the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) with a request for an additional transformer to help improve power supply to the estate.
He appealed to the Ga West Municipal Assembly and other relevant authorities to support the community’s request and facilitate the provision of an additional transformer.
Patrick Adu Opoku, Chairman of OFELA, flanked by members of the association while addressing the media.
According to him, reliable electricity supply is essential to the continued development of the estate, particularly as the community expands and more households and businesses become connected to the national grid.
He urged the appropriate authorities to give the request the necessary attention to help safeguard the electricity needs of residents and support the growth of the area.
Members of the association and residents who participated in the exercise expressed optimism about the initiative, describing communal labour as an important avenue for residents to contribute directly to the development of their community.
They said collective action could help address some immediate challenges while complementing the efforts of the municipal authorities.
The residents also called for greater participation in subsequent communal labour exercises, stressing that maintaining a clean, safe and attractive community should be a shared responsibility.
The activities at Obeyeyie Forest Estate reflect a renewed commitment by residents to take collective responsibility for the development and maintenance of their community rather than relying solely on government and municipal authorities.
The initiative also highlights the importance of community participation in tackling sanitation, drainage, environmental and security challenges at the local level.
Residents are expected to sustain the communal labour and tree-planting programmes to ensure that the gains made are maintained and that Obeyeyie Forest Estate continues to develop into a cleaner, safer and more attractive community.
By 1960news.com
