Minister wants Environmental Health bye-laws gazetted

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, has directed local assemblies in the region to gazette all bye-laws on Environmental Health and Sanitation towards curbing cholera and other filth-related health hazards.

He has also asked for the updating of the District Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action Plans (DESSAP) for evidence-based sanitation management in all municipals, metropolitan areas and districts (MMDs) to improve environmental sanitation.

Mr Quansah was addressing the two-day conference of the chief executives of the local assemblies in the Central Region at Agona Swedru.

The conference is under the theme: “Improving Sanitation –A concern for all”.

The Minister tasked the assemblies to monitor all private services providers in environmental health and sanitation properly to ensure that there was value for money in the interest of the populace.

The assemblies, he said, should legally acquire and properly document all their waste disposal sites to prevent encroachment and litigation.

The Minister urged the MMDAs to conduct empirical research on sustainable waste management models to develop concrete systems to avoid poor sanitation.

He stated that international and local interventions had been put in place by the government to ensure the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) on Water and Sanitation.

Mr Quansah said the Central Region, being a hub of tourism in the country, would not allow open defecation at its beaches.

He, therefore, charged the MMDAs, especially those in the coastal areas, to ensure that their beaches were clean to attract more tourists - both locals and foreigners - to boost the economy.

Mr Samuel Oppong, Agona West Municipal Chief Executive, and Dean of MMDCEs, commended the Regional Minister for the development agenda towards job creation for the youth. He said the MMDCEs were fully prepared to ensure the implementation of President’s directive to set aside the last Saturday of the month to undertake communal labour.