National Environmental Sanitation policy launched

Accra (Greater Accra), 24th July 99 ?

 Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, on Friday said three cities will benefit from a 30 billion-cedi construction of engineered landfill sites for the disposal of waste by private contractors.

"The operation and maintenance of the three sanitary landfill sites in Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale, will be managed by private sector contractors".

Mr Ahwoi announced this at the launching of the National Environmental Sanitation Policy (NESP) and Expanded Sanitary Inspection and Compliance Enforcement (ESICOME) programme at Madina, near Accra.

He said the policy is the commencement of the onslaught on poor environmental sanitation, which has for sometime now compromised the dignity of the Ghanaian.

The policy will propose strategies and implementation arrangements including the roles of the communities and private sector enterprises and industries.

"The programme is the product of a search for an intervention programme capable of making residents of urban and rural settlements accept responsibility for ensuring sanitary improvements of communities".

Under ESICOME, one option is a revival of the old Sanitary Inspection (SAMASAMA) that invokes an image of the inspector as a fearsome sanitary police officer but in a very modified way.

Mr Ahwoi said the decline of environmental sanitation has had health, social and economic impact that is reaching alarming dimensions.

He said the continuous outbreaks of typhoid, dysentery, diarrhoea, cholera, malaria and worm infestation "are manifestations of the poor environmental sanitation situation in the country today".

The minister said central government would provide funding for environmental sanitation to the assemblies through development funds, the district assemblies' common fund to be used to cover investment and environmental sanitation equipment and infrastructure.

He said funding for major projects such as drainage works or waste treatment and disposal facilities would be submitted for central government grants.

On transferred services, Mr Ahwoi said budgets previously allocated for functions related to environmental sanitation should be transferred from central government departments to the district assemblies.

He said the resulting increases in the assemblies common fund allocations would be permanently consolidated.

Dr Christina Amoako Nuama, Minister of Lands and Forestry who chaired the function, said environmental issues should be the concern of all citizens and called on the people to give the sanitary inspectors the necessary co-operation.

GRi?/