Sanitation Ministry to address poor waste disposal practices by deploying sanitation guards
The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has launched a nationwide effort to address the problem of improper disposal of plastic waste and refuse.
In view of this, sanitation guards, currently deployed in major cities like Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, and Tamale, are tasked with curbing indiscriminate dumping. Offenders will be required to clean up their litter, pay fines on the spot, or face legal action, as outlined by Dr. Freda Prempeh, the Sector Minister.
Dr. Prempeh discussed these measures with the media after inspecting the clearing of refuse dumps in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region.
The ministry, in collaboration with private waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, is overseeing the evacuation of long-standing refuse dumps in various communities. Additionally, toilet facilities are being built in underprivileged areas to improve amenities for residents.
Dr. Prempeh, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tano North, shared that the ministry is collaborating with relevant organizations and stakeholders to draft legislation that supports and sustains the nationwide campaign. The objective is to enhance environmental cleanliness and minimize the spread of communicable diseases.
She further expressed concern over the negative attitudes of some Ghanaians towards environmental protection. The Minister hopes that the campaign will not only enhance the cleanliness of the environment but also prompt a shift in people’s behavior towards sanitation.
The ministry is committed to waste segregation and recycling to repurpose waste. Dr. Prempeh urged households to separate plastic and other waste materials. Public cooperation is crucial to the success of the campaign, which, in turn, will enable the government to allocate funds from waste management to other developmental projects.
Mr. Sampson Akwettey, the Acting Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation at the Ministry, stressed the urgency of addressing poor sanitation practices in the country to prevent outbreaks of diseases like cholera and typhoid.
Zoomlion’s Ahafo Regional Coordinator, Mr. Edward Ziddah, mentioned that 33 refuse dumps are being cleared across the region.
