Poor sanitation affecting residents of Langbinsi

Correspondence from North East Region:

Residents of Langbinsi in the East Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region are worried about the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the center of the town by Zoomlion officials in the community which they say is posing health risks to the residents, especially children.

According to the inhabitants, the situation is causing serious health hazards to the community members, hence, they are appealing to the municipal assembly to heed their call and relocate the refuse dump site which is situated in the center of the community to a different place at the outskirts of the town.

They said the situation is a great concern that needs urgent attention to be dealt with to improve the healthy lifestyles of the people.

Waste materials are thrown out haphazardly at the center of the community posing health risks to the residents.

Shop owners and food vendors around the vicinity of the garbage dump site are sometimes compelled to close their shops due to the bad smell within the area.

The toilet facilities constructed at the waste dumping site in the community have been abandoned compelling the residents to practice open defecation on top of the refuse during the night making the whole place untidy.

The assemblyman for the Langbinsi electoral area, Adam Kabiru told GhanaWeb that "Environmental health officers themselves came and inspected it, our MCE, and everybody is aware of it and they are doing nothing about it."

"Just look at these stores, we are taking revenue from them. So, if they [assembly] can help to convey this rubbish we would be very glad," he added.

Nasibatu Malititi, a food vendor at the market square said, "Whenever Zoomlion sweeps the rubbish and everything, they will dump them over there and it is not good. So, sometimes when we come here we find it difficult to breathe."

Adongo Evans is also appealing to the municipal assembly to rehabilitate the abandoned toilet facilities in the area to augment the healthy lifestyle of the residents.

However, a 2017 report by UNICEF said Ghana loses an average of $79 million annually due to open defecation.