27 Apr 2022

Government departments have been advised to keep their environs clean as unpolluted spaces contribute to good health, a feat key in improved productivity.

Speaking to BOPA, following a clean-up campaign in Kanye on Tuesday, senior wildlife officer at the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), Ms Gaone Nkganetsang indicated that her department joined forces with other   government departments, local businesses and parastatal organisations in the campaign.

She said they embarked on the campaign because a clean environment meant healthy lives, which in turn led to productivity.

 “If the workforce is not medically fit, obviously service delivery will be negatively affected,” she said.

The government, she said, would then be forced to use limited resources to treat such illnesses, which could have been avoided by keeping the environment clean.

 “The money that would be used  could have been used for other projects to improve lives,” she said.

The wildlife officer said the district commissioner had also registered his concerns about dirty environment and encouraged all to play their part in keeping it clean.

She said the campaign was also a way of giving back to the community, as every organisation had to assist where possible.

Ms Nkganetsang highlighted that their aim was for the clean-up campaign to be carried out four times a year, adding that they also intended to educated the public about the importance of clean environment.

“It is our ministry’s aim to conserve the natural resources as well as the environment,” she said.

She said the residents in their locality and their leadership would be involved during other upcoming campaigns.

For her part, Kanye IEC’s elections officer, Ms Merapelo Noge said DWNP had asked her office to be part of the campaign, adding that they then agreed to come on board, realising the need to operate in a clean environment.

She said it was everyone’s responsibility to keep the environment clean, noting that apart from avoiding sicknesses, the state of the environment said a lot about the people who stayed or operated there.

 “A clean environment shows the honour of people in it and for someone to work productively a clean environment is vital,” she said.

She urged the community to take good care of the environment and appealed to all other organisations to get on board as they also had a responsibility of giving back to the community.

Mr Senwelo Ntseane, Ngwaketse Landboard assistant procurement officer thanked DWNP for having  invited them to be part of the campaign, noting that collective efforts were important in keeping the environment clean.

She noted that every organisation and individual had to play their part in cleaning the environment.

“If we work together, our surroundings will always be clean and in that way we will be avoiding some illnesses.

Prevention is better than cure,” he added. ENDS