The Outgoing Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Joseph Kofi Adda has disclosed government will, next month, roll out the National Sanitation Brigade for the enforcement and adherence to sanitation by-laws.
He said all 216 districts are to employ a minimum of 20 Sanitation Marshalls to serve on the brigade and Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are expected to employ an average of 50.
They are to enhance the operations of tricycle rubbish collectors, construction of mini-transfer stations to improve good sanitation and aid the disposal of solid and liquid waste.
Automated sweepers across major streets, will be manned and monitored by the brigade’s personnel and the initiative is expected to commence in Accra, Tema Kumasi, Takoradi and spread across other regional capitals.
The Minister made this known during a media engagement in Accra last Friday.
President Akufo-Addo, last year launched the National Sanitation Campaign in a bid to improve sanitation nationwide as well as fulfill his campaign promise of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa.
Research data from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) reveals that Accra alone generates more than 3,000 metric tonnes of waste daily.
It is expected that 10,000 Ghanaians will be recruited under the Sanitation Brigade to enforce the sanitation laws as well as arrest and prosecute persons who flout environmental regulations.
The minister said the active participation of the Sanitation Brigade, along with its Marshalls, will also commence in government agencies and later in all private entities.
He added that funding and approvals have been obtained to allow the necessary agencies take-on the initiative.
‘’Approvals have been obtained from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and contracts have been awarded to suppliers and orders have been placed for working equipments,’’ he explained.
Some of these working equipments include; 15 mechanized stationary compactors, 10 specialized underground bins, and 12 beach cleaning equipment, as well as related conveyance.
Mr. Adda revealed government plans to adopt and develop a 30-year integrated programme involving water and sanitation, dealing with solid and liquid waste, sewage systems and drains.
‘’The plan has been drawn but is at the draft stage awaiting stakeholder consultation for its finalization,’’ he said.
He announced that a proposal to improve the quality of water through a filtration system is to be financed by the United Kingdom Export Finance Agency.
The proposal, has been transformed into a Cabinet Memorandum awaiting approval to help bring about an improvement in the quality of water in rural-urban communities across the country.
By Mawuli Y. Ahorlumegah