...Berekum, Sunyani, Bolgatanga and Amanokrom are the cleanest
Accra and Tema, the nation's capital and port city respectively, are among Ghana's dirtiest towns and villages, according to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD).
The other dirty towns are Nkwanta in the Nkwanta District, Adawso in the Akwapim North and Nkawkaw in Kwahu South districts. The cleanest towns in a contest instituted during the first Sanitation Week celebration last year are Berekum, Sunyani, Bolgatanga and Amanokrom.
Addressing the media in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu expressed regret that Accra and Tema could be rated among the most unkempt in the country, even though they host the most educated and affluent in the country.
He said the MLGRD met sanitary contractors in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) early this year and found debt obligation of AMA and service providers as a major cause for the continuous presence of heaps of rubbish in the two cities.
He mentioned lack of proper contractual agreements with service providers and the establishment of communication channels through which contractors could air their grievances as the other factors for the unhealthy sanitary situation in the city.
The Minister said to change the situation, equipment worth 400 million cedis has been donated to the AMA to help it carry out weekend clean-up exercises to rid the city of filth.
"Construction and operation of community toilet facility based on the Enviro-Loo dry sanitation system will also be pursued to ensure that the situation is improved within the shortest possible time." Mr Baah-Wiredu said MLGRD, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Environment and Science have met plastic manufacturers to discuss ways of minimizing the plastic rubbish and a report would be submitted to Parliament and the Council of State by March 31.
