Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, President of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) said the increasing disposal of waste indiscriminately in the city of Accra and its environs is serious and unfortunate.
He attributed the situation to the lack public education in localities about the dangers and effects of the problem.
Dr. Agyepong was addressing newsmen after a clean-up exercise in Accra on Saturday, organized by the ESPA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Ministry of Environment Science, Technology and Innovation.
The exercise, which took place at Kaneshie, Kinbu, Tudu, Tema station and the La Market, was a follow-up of a call and launch of the Clean Ghana Campaign by the Vice-President, Mr Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur.
He said ESPA is doing this as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility to augment the effort of Government to get rid of filth in communities in Accra and other parts of the country to prevent diseases.
Dr Agyepong said the exercise will be done regularly, at least every quarter, and that, there were 20 waste contractors involved in the exercise.
He said once waste is generated, there must be waste bins to collect them and urged Ghanaians to use the bins given them for its intended purpose.
Mr. Julius Debrah, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development said the ministry is ready to partner every organization to solve the waste and sanitation problem in the Country.
He said the local Government ministry has a policy, which directs all Metro Municipal District Assemblies to intensify public education in their various areas and also furnish the ministry with reports on their achievement, in that regards.
Mr Debrah noted that, the change of people’s attitude can change the situation and urged Ghanaians to adopt positive attitudes by not disposing waste indiscriminately in gutters and on the streets.
He said the Local Government Ministry is also tackling the situation from the social angle with efforts to partner organizations and individuals to build toilets for people in their homes and urged the media to intensify its public education on sanitation.
Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister said Government is committed to solving the problem by making available two land filth sites for the dumping of refuse in the Ga West and South Municipalities.
He said “there is the need for us to keep our environment clean to avoid the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, which retards the country development process.”
Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuiye, Mayor of Accra said the major challenge was the lack of disposal sites in Accra, adding that, now that there are sites for the disposal of waste, “the assemblies in the region should be up and doing to control the situation.”
He said the clean up exercises will continue unabated to make Accra and its environs clean to prevent diseases.
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