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Keeping Ghana clean

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 Source: Lamptey, Alfred

In recent times, Ghana has been able to manage a smooth and peaceful political

transition, and has created a political and policy environment conducive to

economic and social progress.

It is very disgraceful that a country like Ghana that can be grouped among the

giants of Africa is still suffering from the problem of filth. The multitude of

environmental sanitation problems which besetthe country is due to the attitudes

of Ghanaians. In the streets of Accra, Kumasi,Tarkoradi, Ho and other parts of

the regional capitals, there is no single place that you will pass that you will

not encounter the problems of filth, talking about the central business centers,

these regional capitals- Tema station, Circle, the Kaneshie market, Kejetia,

Takoradi central market , Ho central market etc

The causes of this filth in the country are being attributed to the inadequate

education of the citizens about sanitation. For the problem of sanitation to be

solved there need to be the education of the citizens about the need to keep

away from filth, and this education can be done through television programs and

by making the media a center machine. This education is to add to the existing

ways of solving filth in the country.

Also, lack of patriotism is a cause of filth in the country this is because when

Ghanaian are able to hold high the love of this country in their heart, the

deposition of filth at unacceptable places will cease. The introduction of the

sanitary inspectors will help in the management of sanitation in the country, if

you get to the central business centers in the country, Agbogloshie, Makola,

kejetia to be precise, the heap of filth at this place are unimaginable not

forgetting the scent it generates, but yet still there is marketing going on at

such places. Some of the products sold at these places are consumable. How well

will these products will help the development of the human health system? The

market women and men at these places because of lack of patriotism set their

tables and sell their products near the filth. But at the same time some the

blames must be portioned to the regional metropolitan assemblies because there

are most situations that various dustbins that have been placed in the various

major points get full and even overflows but empting them also becomes a

problem. This is not to say that the various metropolitans and municipals

assemblies are not doing their work, the work is being done but efficiently is

the problem. Most countries have development due to the patriotism of the

citizens. Taking into account the development of Botswana and even a western

country like the USA and so can we!

If sanitation- is the state of being clean and conducive to health , then

talking about sanitation in the country will not only pertain to the regional

capitals but also the rural areas( villages). Water pollution is one major

factor in the rural areas, especially the forest and savanna areas. These areas

mostly engaged in agriculture, the water pollution comes in different forms it

is sometimes the wash of fertilizers from farm into the water bodies or it is

the using of the water bodies with animals that are being reared there. The

health of the inhabitants of these areas is always at danger since they suffer

mostly from water borne diseases. Education of the people at these places is the

best way to solve their sanitation problems. Most rural areas also lack most

facilities like "public toilets" and even rubbish container, therefore they

uses the rubbish dump as their form of "public toilet" This statement can never

be complete without citing rural areas in the northern part of the country and

part of the southern part of the country as examples.

The sanitation problem of the country can be stopped when Ghanaians develop the

love of development for the country, and also education of the people about

sanitation. Both the leaders and the followers of the country should do their

part in keeping Ghana clean. Thanks to Non-Governmental Organizations as well as

philanthropist that are to task of keeping the country clean and also more

Philanthropists and other Non-Governmental Agencies should please join hands

with the others to keep Ghana clean.

LAMPTEY ALFRED

POLITICAL STUDIES

KNUST

ALFREDLAMPTEY88@YAHOO.COM

Columnist: Lamptey, Alfred