The Roles Of Individuals Toward Environmental Sanitation In Ghana

Decades ago, Sanitation, though has been practiced by most Ghanaians had been mostly done indoors and in some few public auspices. However, little attention has been given to public sanitation at its broadest term in Ghana. To put it in specific context, public sanitation should be redefined as those areas that received efforts in terms of relatively good government policies, modern sanitation equipment, citizens’ patriotism, and human efforts to keeping recreational facilities, public gathering places, gutters and water bodies, and our foods well cleaned.

What fascinated most Ghanaians recently and they were thronged-in to celebrating the first gentleman in the Republic was the public pronouncement made by President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akuffo Addo and I quote from the Dailygraphic that,

“The commitment I want to make, and for all of us to make, is that by the end of my term in office, Accra will be the cleanest city on the entire African continent. That is the commitment I am making,” said President Akuffo Addo on 24^th April, 2017 at James town, Accra. This message did not only make us aware of the huge filths we are in, but drew us to a forefront of sanitation. However, we can only merry after we all come together to achieve this goal and make it a reality.

This pronouncement unfolded some key things that need to be analyzed and appreciated, then the way forward that is framework for sustainable, sanitation and hygiene, -which I call Ghana at crossroads to sustainable modern sanitation and hygiene. What implications can be derived from the president’s public commitment to Sanitation and Hygiene in the country? First Accra is buried in a million tons of waste (WSSDP, 2012). Secondly indiscriminate waste disposal. Thirdly inadequate waste storage capacity. Fourth point is institutional breakdown.

Fifth is government policies to engage both the resources and private individuals. Private individuals’ consciousness and good attitudes toward good sanitation and hygiene form central of this article. This is because the Wider Approach to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene can only be materialized when the whole public i.e. the individuals, commit to making the country clean. The truth is that health is important in everyday life as everything that concerns humanity is dependent on good health. That is to say that without being healthy no one can engage in any activity. As the mantra goes always that, ‘’our wealth, our health’’ Central to health is environmental sanitation, because as humans we live, eat, move, asleep, and does everything in the environment that surrounds us. That means that we ought to make our surroundings clean otherwise we shall fall ill and be weak or even die. In this regard, individuals must play important roles with respect to environmental sanitation.

In the ensuing chapters I shall discuss various ways or roles that as an individual we can play to improve our environment in which we live. First I shall discuss the sanitation problems in the country using Accra as an example since that is where most population is, then the roles we can play, summary, recommendations, and then I will conclude the write-up.

First Accra is buried in a million tons of waste (WSSDP, 2012). Study have shown that the capital city, Accra produce a million tons of waste on annual basis. Due to inadequate and inefficiency of the waste management equipment currently in the country, about 2`3 of these wastes are left to pollute the environment. Daily, Ghana’s population rate keep doubling at 2.3% from the previous 1.2%. This explains rapid urbanization in the capital city. Consequently, more population

means more waste will be produced on daily and yearly basis. To avert this, not only the government policies needed to keep pace with the production and consumption rate in the country, but we all need to play our parts to improve sanitation.

Secondly, indiscriminate waste disposal and how to control it. Another issue of improper sanitation in the country is the way we dispose-off waste being generated from our homes, shops, events, and when we are on a trip. When you live in Accra or Kumasi, you will see the way most residents throw rubbish into gutters around. Some pour them at the edge of the roads. Some leave them after events. And others just drink or eat from these rubbers and throw them onto the streets when they are in the bus. However, as an individual we have to care of our leftovers, we can do this by purchasing dust bins for our homes. Car owners should place well covered dust bins in their car when travelling. In our homes, these dust bins can be three for sorting the waste and separating them into organic, plastic, and liquids. This will help waste collectors transfer them to appropriate waste facility at a little fee. Again, individuals can save some money to buy dust bins or urinal for his or her community just to support good health. Chiefs must also enforce bye laws to sanction anyone that violate sanitation regulations in the community.

Provision of More Waste Logistics
This factor is very important because, my own observations over the past three years showed that our cities’ MMDAs and the NGOs have a few waste trucks for the collection of solid waste so because of this, it makes waste collection and transfer very cumbersome for them. It is about time government and NGOs invest in this area of provision of waste trucks to leverage them to make Accra and other parts of the country clean.

Good remuneration of waste managers/collectors

This part is where Zoomlion and the GoG haven’t paid much attention to. Payment of allowances to waste collectors should be number one priority of the zoomlion since these people toil every day to seep and collect our rubbishes all the time. Non-payment or delay of payment will be hindrance on efficiency of the company and Ghana will still be in the filth. Remuneration should be made attractive to workers and those are willing to join the company. More incentives should be added to motivate the workers to do more so us to get into our dreams of achieving a cleaned Ghana.

Here is a previous excerpt of dailyguideafrica.com/zoomlion-workers-strike-over-arrears:

‘’Jul 25, 2016 - Information gathered by this paper indicated that the women take GH₵89 each as monthly allowance but have not been paid for about six months now, in spite of promises and public announcements by the Zoomlion management that the allowances will paid’’

Open defecation and the role of individual
Open defecation is becoming so rampant in the country especially around beach communities. As an individual we need to come to conclusion that when we indulge in this practice there will be cholera outbreak that will affect ourselves. We need to visit public toilet or provide toilet facility in our homes. Individual can report to sanitation officers to arrest those that practice open defecation. But in situation where there is no toilet, the person can dig deep hole away from the residence or beach site before defecating in and then cover it well with sand after use.

Open urination and the role of individual
This practice is most visible in all areas in the country. The open urination is not only making a person uncomfortable but it makes the place smell bad. This can be corrected by provision of public urinal at vantage points for the people to use. Both private individuals and the assembly can support these facilities to end open urination.

Attitudes of individuals
Research has shown that most sanitation issues we have are born out of our attitudes toward hygiene. It is evidence that in Ghana you see people throwing sachet rubbers into gutters, around dust bins and any area. Littering has become normal in Ghana now because nobody seems to care about the environment we live in. Responses like ‘’when we pack rubbers well there will be no work for waste collectors to do’’ is making people to engage in indiscriminate hygiene practices in the community. We all ought to change our attitudes toward the way we treat our sanitation in the country so as to have healthy environment to live in or else years to come we may not have a place to live in. Because gutters will be choked, the whole cities will be in filths. There will be more cholera, mosquitoes, diarrhea, and more deaths. So let us take good care of our surrounding well so as to live good life.

The roles of the media
Even though I have not included media in the caption, they are powerful tool for public education on good sanitation. I enjoyed their reportage on health issues. I hope to write about it soon.

Summary/conclusion
The article talked about sanitation and the roles of individuals can play to ensuring good sanitation in the country. This is because our wealth is dependent on our health. Also because cities like Accra produces a million tons of waste every year means that we need to stand up now to avert this before we are engulfed in filths. Roles such as proper disposal of wastes, GoG/NGOs’ support for Waste treatment plants, Increased Waste Trucks, individual support for dust bins, urinals, public toilets, and the avoidance of public urination, defecation, littering, change of attitudes, etc will help improve sanitation in the country.

Recommendations
I suggest that every individual play part in ensuring good sanitation in the country.

Secondly sanitation laws should be enforced to sanction those who violate them.

Thirdly every ministry should budget for sanitation every year to make our environment a healthier one.

Again, provision and equal distribution of Waste Trucks to convey waste to treatment plants or well demarcated refuse dump.

In all, Ghanaians will be safe and healthy when we all play our parts to ensure a healthy environment that we will live in. Still the mantra remains, ‘’ healthy environment, a healthy life for all’’

Written by:
Klu, Amos, BA. Political Science, KNUST.