Private sector must help in waste management

Accra, Aug. 4, GNA - The Minister of Science and Environment, Ms Christine Churcher on Wednesday urged the private sector to actively participate in waste management. She said although the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was doing its best, there was still the need for other organisations in the private sector to collaborate with it to find a lasting solution to waste management.

She said this at the sixth annual public lecture organised by the Ghana Medical Association in Accra on the theme: "Environmental Sanitation, Law and Order and Health".

The lecture aims at bringing together members of the public to discuss environmental sanitation problems impacting negatively on health and building the necessary consensus to influence policy. The Minister called on the youth to actively join the campaign against waste to forestall environmental degradation.

She said the Ministry had developed a programme dubbed: "The Child And The Environment" which is aimed at inculcating into children the attitude of appreciating the environment and working to sustain it.

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, Omanhene of Akyem Abuakwa and Chairman of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said the protection of the environment must be the concern of all, since environmental sanitation problems were mostly due to human activities.

He urged the government to take matters of the environment seriously by allocating sufficient resources to the sector in national budget and put environmental and health problems high on its strategy to save life.

Osagyefo Amoatia said the future depended on the environment adding: "One has to live in harmony with other species but not to destroy them."

The Deputy Minister of Heath, Dr (Mrs) Gladys Ashitey called on the general public to help in waste management problems since they affected the health of all.

She said if the snag of waste management were dealt with, it would help in wealth creation and promote good life.