Special funding needed to tackle poor sanitation – Dr Amponsah

The government of Ghana has been asked to, without any delay, establish a National Sanitation Fund with specific guidelines to ensure its management and disbursement.

Managing Director of Africa Environment Sanitation Consult Limited, Rev. Dr. Richard Amponsah, insists such a fund would guarantee smooth implementation of sanitation policies and enhance the efficiency levels of waste management companies in the country.

“It is important for us to recognize that if we want to seriously fight sanitation in this country like some other developed countries have done, then we must pay attention to its financing because it is very expensive.

“I will personally recommend for the introduction of a special levy to significantly increase the annual sanitation budget of the government, if we are determined to take the next step in the fight,” he advised.

Rev. Dr. Amponsah said these when he addressed journalists on the sidelines of the Ghana Consulting Engineering Association Week Celebration 2019 on Tuesday.

He spoke on the topic, “Management of Solid Waste in our City”.

Rev. Dr. Amponsah adds that the purpose of the special funds won’t be achieved if structures at the local government level do not change, adding that, there should be a paradigm shift in the way and manner things are done.

“I will recommend for the establishment of an Authority or an independent body to regulate the sector to encourage individuals to invest sanitation management. Essentially, what I'm saying is that we can’t set up a special fund without making structural changes in our local governance system.

"We must face reality and address the problem comprehensively,” the sanitation consultant stressed.

According to him, a significant number of the Ghanaian population do not have access to improved sanitation facilities and safe disposable of waste in their homes and work places.

Rev. Dr. Amponsah believes the prevailing challenges could be partly address with the establishment of “strategic transfer stations” and the provision of receptacles across the country.

“I can hold a bottle for maybe two or three minutes, but I can’t hold the same bottle for an hour, I will certainly drop it, that is why we need to provide enough receptacles, especially in the cities to tackle the menace,” he added.