Accra, Jan 29, GNA- Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on Thursday said Ghana's quest for substantial poverty reduction and economic development could not be achieved without the basic requirements for public health.
He said the focus should be to rid the cities and towns of both solid and liquid waste to minimize the occurrence of diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
Mr Adjei-Darko was speaking at the inauguration and handing over of 23 Ford Cesspit Emptier trucks to 23 district assemblies at the Mechanical Llyod Engineering Complex at Adenta, near Accra. The equipment, valued at eight billion cedis, were procured under the Urban Five Project and funded with a credit facility from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank. They were to assist the district assemblies tackle sanitation problems and manage liquid waste.
Mr Adjei-Darko said the recent media coverage of the unacceptable sanitation conditions in several parts of the country had brought to the fore the need for Ghanaians to accelerate efforts towards improving sanitation in urban areas.
He noted that despite the seemingly desperate nature of the situation, government was mindful of the fact that long term solutions to the challenge facing the country called for a systematic and pragmatic approach, rather than an ad-hoc measures.
The Sector Minister said it was in these regard that government expedited the procurement and delivery of the equipment to the selected district assemblies to support efforts at tackling the severe sanitation problems.
He said in addition to the equipment some public sanitation facilities had been constructed or rehabilitated under the Urban Five Project in Ejura, Mampong, Obuasi, Berekum, Nkoranza, Wenchi, Dunkwa, Akwatia, Asamankese, Begoro, Nsawam, Savelugu, Yendi, Aflao and Hohoe. The Ministry has also imported 150 tractors and skip loaders as well as 1,000 refuse containers, which would be distributed to some district assemblies and Sub-Metropolitan Councils.
Mr Adjei-Darko asked the beneficiary assemblies to reciprocate government's gesture by operating and maintaining them in a manner that would ensure that the people derived maximum benefit from the investment.
The beneficiary district assemblies are Asante-Akim North; Ejura-Sekyedumase; Sekyere West; Adansi West all in the Ashanti Region, Berekum; Nkoranza; Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region and Upper Denkyira and Ewutu-Efutu-Senya in the Central Region.
Others are Birim South; Kwaebibirim; West Akim; Fanteakwa; Kwahu South; Akwapim South; Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar In the Eastern Region, Ga district in Greater Accra Region and Savelugu-Nanton and Yendi districts in Northern Region.
The rest are Ketu; Hohoe and Kpando In the Volta Region and Wassa West district in the Western Region.
