Greater Accra Region declares war on filth

Accra, Jan. 19, GNA - Stakeholders on sanitation in the Greater Accra Region on Monday declared war against filth and indiscriminate waste disposal at a day's consultative meeting pledging their commitment to enforce bye-laws on sanitation in the city of Accra. The stakeholders led by Sheik Isaac Quaye, Regional Minister, other Ministers of State, some Members of Parliament (MPs) and Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) resolved to holistically review the strategies and methods of combating the sanitation problem in the city.

They concurred that, the problems of filth in the city was not insurmountable, notwithstanding its growth in recent times, saying and with efficient and effective collaboration it could be addressed in no time.

The Regional Minister as result declared Saturday January 24, 2004 as the Regional Mass Clean-up Exercise Day to commence the war against filth. He appealed to Ministers, MPs and members of the entire Sub-Metros and the general public to turn up for the exercise.

Sheik Quaye said the number of Environmental Health Officers would be increased and empowered to enforce the byelaws on sanitation in all areas in the city without fear or favour. He lauded the creation of a 13 new Sub-Metros that would spearhead the campaign in their respective areas and said the entire review of the strategies and methods would include manpower and capacity building and improvement in the structures of the assemblies.

The Regional Minister said a rationalization programme would be undertaken to review the programme of work of private contractors and AMA labourers and cleansing gangs on the ground adding: "We need to increase the number of workers to at least 100 to 200 people in each Sub-Metro" He said the current refuse accumulation in the city amounted to about 2,000 tonnes saying: "We shall take necessary action immediately to clear all these refuse heaps.

"The survival of the city of Accra lies in your hands and we must all put our hands on the plough to fight this canker," he said. Mr Kwamena Bartels, Private Sector Minister, said it would be unfair to expect the AMA to only tackle the problem especially taking into consideration the growth and development in the city. He said the priority of the Assembly should be sanitation but it must also look at it vis-=E0-vis the revenue that was generated from garbage collection and disposal to sustain whatever programme that would be embarked upon.

Mr Bartels said the Private Sector Ministry was holding consultation with four private companies at present to begin the recycling of plastic waste in the city. Nana Akomea, Minister of Information, said if there was going to be any reason for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to loose seats in Accra, then it would be the sanitation problems "but this would not happen." He said the new Sub-Metros should be given full control of sanitation within their jurisdiction because that would ensure a fast and efficient waste management.

Mr Eddy Akita, Minister in Charge of Fisheries, abhorred what he described as the negative attitude of people, who threw waste materials indiscriminately citing several instances where he personally witnessed people flouting the law. To him the problem of sanitation was about 30 per cent attitudinal; therefore, Ghanaians should begin to change saying "we do not need to degenerate into quagmire or lesser beings".