Dealing with filth in Accra: The capital city deserves better

IT has become necessary to find ways to deal with the mounting filth in the capital city, Accra  that has attracted public outcry.

HOWEVER,  we at Today  have observed that unless there is  a change in the mindset of the public, the fight against filth cannot  be won.

THERE is no gainsaying the fact that Accra has been overwhelmed by the waste menace because of the attitude of majority of Ghanaians towards littering of the environment, while the laws of the land are  also not being enforced.

GOVERNMENT has come under pressure to save the city  from filth lately, as it   is estimated that more than 20,000 tonnes of waste is generated in the country daily, with Accra alone accounting for 3,000 tonnes.

THE  waste, which comes in solid, liquid, electronic and plastic forms, does not only destroy the land, but also end up in water bodies, leading to the reduction of fish stock.

TODAY has further observed that the time has  come for an all-hands-on-deck approach involving all members of the public to rid the city  of filth.

WE are of the view that the sanitation ministry must create a sanitation fund and a national sanitation authority to facilitate efforts being made to manage waste.

ADDITIONALLY, the ministry must put plans in place  to recruit sanitation brigades and marshals in the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in an effort to decentralise the battle against filth in the country.

WE also want  stakeholders and the private sector to collaborate to wage a relentless war on filth in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s quest to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa.

ALL media houses, private sector entities, and stakeholders must also  join the campaign to rid the country of filth as  is the case with the war on illegal mining.

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MEMBERS of the public  also have a duty to play to make it achievable. They must  be worthy ambassadors of good sanitation by reporting people who pollute  the environment.

WE therefore call  on the sanitation ministry to take the bull by the horns to tackle the sanitation challenge despite the daunting task at hand.

IN   the wake of the President’s agenda to move the country beyond aid, it is equally important to take the sanitation challenge beyond aid by supporting the private sector to tackle the situation head on.

THE reality of the issue is that if we do not pay for waste collection, we are depriving the private sector of working diligently.

GOVERNMENT prioritise the use of refuse bins in households and public places to facilitate the collection of waste.

GOVERNMENT must also show a strong a strong political will and deliberations on national funding initiatives to improve on sanitation in the country. Accra must be kept clean!

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