Ghana's sanitation being treated hygienically?
24/3/2011
Sanitation (gen)
Story: Jasmine Arku, Sogakope
IT is estimated that about 60 per cent of solid waste generated by the 10 largest cities in the country is managed hygienically, while less than 15 per cent of the seepage generated in Accra and Kumasi is effectively treated.
It is not, therefore, surprising that the country was still battling with the outbreak of communicable diseases, such as cholera and other environmental sanitation related diseases in certain parts of the country.
That notwithstanding, the government says it is doing its best to effectively tackle the problem of waste management, which is threatening the country’s attainment of the objectives of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II).
Addressing journalists at a workshop at Sogakope in the Volta Region, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, said the challenges associated with the disposal of liquid waste were not visible as those of solid waste although the impact of both was equally serious.
In order to achieve the overall goal of developing a clear and nationally-accepted vision of environmental sanitation, the deputy minister noted that the Environmental Sanitation Policy, which was first published in 1999, had been revised to meet current development objectives and address the aspirations of sector actors.
The three-day workshop, which was on the theme: "Improving sanitation and hygiene education coverage", aimed at improving the technical capacity of journalists to enable them to effectively analyse and report on water, sanitation and hygiene issues.
It was organised by the Ghana Water and Sanitation Journalists Network (GWJN) with sponsorship from the Water Aid Ghana.
According to Mr Ankrah, the revision of the policy, which took on board the changing context of national and international development priorities, sought to re-examine and deal more effectively with issues that had led to the persistent poor environmental sanitation and its health implications.
Consequently, he said, a National Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action Plan (NESSAP) was being developed to re-focus environmental sanitation management in the country and provide clear strategies and action plans that would guide its implementation by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
Furthermore, a Strategic Environmental Sanitation Investment Plan (SESIP), which would provide details of funding requirement and framework for financing the gaps and projected improvements in environmental sanitation infrastructure and services, was being prepared.
Over the past five years, hopes have been raised as many district assemblies announced recycling projects or collaborative programmes to turn waste into useful inputs.
However, not much effort has been utilised to track, map, share lessons and upscale those efforts to ensure that the maximum gains were achieved from those interventions.
Mr Ankrah, therefore, expressed the hope that with the collaborative effort of the media and stakeholders, the desired attitudinal change of the Ghanaian for improved environmental sanitation service delivery would be achieved.
Sanitation (gen)
Story: Jasmine Arku, Sogakope
IT is estimated that about 60 per cent of solid waste generated by the 10 largest cities in the country is managed hygienically, while less than 15 per cent of the seepage generated in Accra and Kumasi is effectively treated.
It is not, therefore, surprising that the country was still battling with the outbreak of communicable diseases, such as cholera and other environmental sanitation related diseases in certain parts of the country.
That notwithstanding, the government says it is doing its best to effectively tackle the problem of waste management, which is threatening the country’s attainment of the objectives of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II).
Addressing journalists at a workshop at Sogakope in the Volta Region, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, said the challenges associated with the disposal of liquid waste were not visible as those of solid waste although the impact of both was equally serious.
In order to achieve the overall goal of developing a clear and nationally-accepted vision of environmental sanitation, the deputy minister noted that the Environmental Sanitation Policy, which was first published in 1999, had been revised to meet current development objectives and address the aspirations of sector actors.
The three-day workshop, which was on the theme: "Improving sanitation and hygiene education coverage", aimed at improving the technical capacity of journalists to enable them to effectively analyse and report on water, sanitation and hygiene issues.
It was organised by the Ghana Water and Sanitation Journalists Network (GWJN) with sponsorship from the Water Aid Ghana.
According to Mr Ankrah, the revision of the policy, which took on board the changing context of national and international development priorities, sought to re-examine and deal more effectively with issues that had led to the persistent poor environmental sanitation and its health implications.
Consequently, he said, a National Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action Plan (NESSAP) was being developed to re-focus environmental sanitation management in the country and provide clear strategies and action plans that would guide its implementation by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
Furthermore, a Strategic Environmental Sanitation Investment Plan (SESIP), which would provide details of funding requirement and framework for financing the gaps and projected improvements in environmental sanitation infrastructure and services, was being prepared.
Over the past five years, hopes have been raised as many district assemblies announced recycling projects or collaborative programmes to turn waste into useful inputs.
However, not much effort has been utilised to track, map, share lessons and upscale those efforts to ensure that the maximum gains were achieved from those interventions.
Mr Ankrah, therefore, expressed the hope that with the collaborative effort of the media and stakeholders, the desired attitudinal change of the Ghanaian for improved environmental sanitation service delivery would be achieved.
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