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03.03.2009 Science

Environmental officers meet

03.03.2009 LISTEN
By GNA

Regional and environmental health officers met
in Accra on Tuesday to discuss new ways to ensure and sustain environmental cleanliness in the country.

The meeting was the first step to develop strategies and action plans that would inform government to initiate policy actions to improve the country's deteriorating sanitation.

Mr Joseph Y. Chireh, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development who addressed the meeting expressed regret that no major impact had been made in the sector despite huge investments made so far.

Mr Chireh also noted that the Ministry was reviewing the Environmental Sanitation Policy to address key challenges retarding efforts to ensure environmental cleanliness.

The Minister pledged government's support to the environmental officers to enable them to performs their roles effectively in monitoring, enforcing and educating the public on sanitation laws and services.

Mr Demedeme Naa, Director of Environmental Sanitation at the Ministry identified lack of funds as a major challenge in waste management.

He therefore expressed the hope that government would create a sanitation fund to provide a sustainable financing source to implement measures that would save the situation.

Mr Naa said strengthening environmental health directorates and units would also go a along way to ensure environmental cleanliness.

GNA

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