Accra, Dec 4, GNA - Residents at Nii Boiman, a suburb of
Accra has been exposed to serious sanitation problems, which could
lead to an epidemic. The situation had also exposed the residents to a lot of health
risks, with a bad stench emanating from the unsanitary condition and
the indiscriminate defecating in the area. Also the hand dug wells in the area are very close to the toilets in
the various houses. Mr George Odoi Asare, a resident of the area, who spoke to the
Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Thursday, after a clean up exercise
in the area, said "everybody was aware of the sanitation problem
and how hazardous it is to the health of the people, the problem is no
longer with the AMA, but rather ourselves." He said "if we all change our attitudes and create a clean and
healthy environment things would be better for us". Dr Sampson Boateng, Metropolitan Public Health Director of the
Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) when contacted, said access
to water had been identified as a major problem in the area, which
has necessitated the indiscriminate digging of hand dug wells in
houses. He said health officers have taken samples of water from the
wells in the area and that a few of the wells have been closed down
pending investigation. Dr Boateng said people should adopt a positive character
towards sanitation to save the government from spending so much
money to control waste. He urged the residents to change their attitude to ensure good
health and reduce the frequent visits to hospitals. He said "there was a limit to the efforts of the authorities; the
biggest challenge rested on the people themselves and how they
perceived issues of sanitation, within their localities". Mr George Okai, District Environmental Health Officer of the
AMA, said the irresponsible disposal of refuse into gutters and
drains did not facilitate the free flow of rain water, leading to flood
and loss of valuables and properties during the rainy season. On why a cleanup exercise organized by the AMA was
abandoned by the people living in the area, Mr Okai quickly
condemned the apathy shown by the people towards it. He appealed to schools and churches in the area to propagate the
message of maintaining good personal and environmental hygiene.
