Minister urges Estate Developers to adopt holistic devt methods

Accra, Oct. 7, GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Minister of Works and Housing, said on Tuesday that the Ministry would soon come out with regulatory framework to compel all Estate Developers to adopt holistic infrastructure build-up mechanism for all housing estates.

The practice where Estate Houses were develop without the provision of utility services and the construction of adequate drainage systems should be outlawed.

The Minister said this at the World Habitat Day celebration in Accra under the theme, "Water and Sanitation".akoto The Day instituted by the United Nation to draw the attention of governments, communities and the public to the extreme conditions under which a vast section of humanity is living without adequate access to water, sanitation, healthcare and security. Alhaji Idris said the Government was concern about the indiscipline in the estate development and management industry as well as the abuse of the physical environment. "In spite of all the laws and exhortations, houses are still being built in water courses thereby causing flooding.

" Garbage and refuse are being dumped in open drains intended to carry waste water, and have to be desilted to allow free flow of waste water and run-off" the Minister said.

Alhaji Idris said infrastructure provision constituted a major cost component in any development and, therefore, called on community leaders and the youth in particular to be vigilant and protect the infrastructure in their communities.

He said urbanisation and population growth had made it impossible for government to provide water and sanitation services. The Minister said the Government's intention to adopt the policy of Private Sector Participation in urban water and sanitation delivery system was to enhance efficiency.

Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, in message painted a gloomy picture of the environmental health problems in the country.

He said over one million tonnes of waste product are produced annually but the waste management organizations collect less than 350,000 tonnes.

He said only 40 per cent of urban and 15 per cent of rural dwellers had an acceptable domestic toilet, while another 15 per cent of urban dwellers still used pan latrines.

A high proportion of meat consumed by the public was from animals slaughtered under in-sanitary conditions.

Mr Darko said the Ministry intended to create more Sub-Metros to ensure effective administration and management of sanitation services as well as strengthen the capacity of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit at the national level to provide the needed technical support to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

He said Environmental Health Officers had been empowered under the Expanded Sanitary Inspection and Compliance programme to enter all premises, apply a judicious mix of environmental sanitation education and enforce environmental sanitation standards and regulations. Mr Darko said District Chief Executives had also been empowered to give the needed support to keep and maintain a clean, safe and secured environment.

Sheikh I. C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, asked people not to destroy the environment in the name of development.