Sanitation courts to be instituted - Odoom

The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Abraham Dwuma Odoom, has said the ministry was liaising with the Judicial Service to set up specialized environmental sanitation courts all over the country to prosecute sanitary cases.

He said as a short-term measure, plans were advanced to set aside specific days for the prosecution of sanitary cases in all courts nationwide.

Mr Odoom said this at the opening of a two-day workshop on "Revision of the National Environmental Policy."

He said appropriate steps were also being evolved to reintroduce the "sama-sama" - house-to-house inspection concept - to intensify education and enforcement of sanitary regulations and bylaws at the regional and district levels.

The forum, which is being attended by district chief executives, members of parliament, environmental health officers, and NGOs was to review the environmental and sanitation policy and come out with strategic plans that would enhance the smooth implementation of the policy.

Mr Odoom said filth seemed to be everywhere in the cities and major towns and that close to 70 percent of the top 10 diseases reported to health facilities throughout the country were sanitation related.

He said plans were also far advanced to resource the regional environmental health offices with vehicles and other logistics to enable them effectively support operation in all the 138 district assemblies.

Source: GNA