I agree with Bannerman's article. Our leaders must find a way to tackle this waste disposal problem before it swallows us. Cleanliness, as they say, is next to Godliness. Many houses don't have water closet toilets in this 21 ... read full comment
I agree with Bannerman's article. Our leaders must find a way to tackle this waste disposal problem before it swallows us. Cleanliness, as they say, is next to Godliness. Many houses don't have water closet toilets in this 21st century. Something that was invented in the 19th century. Our leaders spend all their time travelling all over the world in fancy planes and expensive cars while their people use the beaches and bushes as their toilet.The few functioning public toilets have become political goldmines for the local party chiefs.We should legistrate laws forcing all landlords to put in water-closet toilets or be fined heavily.
ELINAM 10 years ago
A country that can not manufacture common trailer to pulled by a donkey can not take care of its waste, and that's a fact.
The lack of technology and innovation is what bedeviled the waste and sanitation challenges.
We all ... read full comment
A country that can not manufacture common trailer to pulled by a donkey can not take care of its waste, and that's a fact.
The lack of technology and innovation is what bedeviled the waste and sanitation challenges.
We all witness on several occasions when open gutters were cleared and the debris were left on the edges of the gutter for the next rain to shove it back into the gutter.
If we had had the art of technology, we could have made a powerful truck with a super suction pumps that could vacuum these gutters and the sand could be separated from the rubbish and sold to contractors for landscaping or building.
In yesterday's snow storm, the Government of a small state of Connecticut released over 800 trucks plus private contractors to plow and sand the highways and local streets. That's the power of indigenous technology.
We can not build or clean our nation adequately on limited imported technology.
We face these health and environmental challenges and we also have universities so why can't we come with a hand and a glove solution. Was there any attempt to line up the right courses that deal with these challenges at the colleges technically or are we just passing graduates out to be engineers who would sit in air conditioned rooms in the municipal building?
BEN, Takoradi 10 years ago
Unfortunately, Zoomlion company has monopoly over trash collection business in ghana and they are not doing a good job. The gov't needs to invite other private companies to compete with Zoomlion.
We also need to build more ... read full comment
Unfortunately, Zoomlion company has monopoly over trash collection business in ghana and they are not doing a good job. The gov't needs to invite other private companies to compete with Zoomlion.
We also need to build more incinerators to covert our waste into electric power. I also agree with the writer: education and fines should be core part of the solution.
MARCUS AMPADU 10 years ago
A timely and well needed article. Well done Onyemi Okunka. You mentioned three stakeholders in the dance to end our horrendous waste management problem.
You cited our governments over the years, the citizens, and others. You ... read full comment
A timely and well needed article. Well done Onyemi Okunka. You mentioned three stakeholders in the dance to end our horrendous waste management problem.
You cited our governments over the years, the citizens, and others. You eloquently addressed the roles the first two dancers have to perform, but for some unexplained reason(s), you left the others hanging.
For the other dancers, I will suggest opinion writers - environmentlists like you, our ubiquitous churches and our increasingly popular media houses and journalists.
All three dancing stakeholders will dance to the tune of "Recycle, Recycle, Recycle !
Reuse, Reuse, Reuse !
Reduce, Reduce, Reduce !"
We can win the war against our waste if all three dancing stakeholders play their roles of Recycling, Reusing and Reducing the amount of trash we put out in a day, in a week, in a month, not to mention, in a year.
Of course waste management is not rocket science neither is it as difficult as brain surgery.
Vuvuzela 10 years ago
Not to disagree with you or to trivialize your contention, who needs education to know that waste matter increases health hazards?
The point is, in Ghana, people have to be coerced to behave. Left to the mentality of the ... read full comment
Not to disagree with you or to trivialize your contention, who needs education to know that waste matter increases health hazards?
The point is, in Ghana, people have to be coerced to behave. Left to the mentality of the majority, writing articles is even not important; no one cares at all.
THINGS NEED TO BE FORCED ON THE CITIZENRY TO BEHAVE LIKE NORMAL BEINGS! If not, 25 years from now, we will be here, if we survive, to talk about the same dire situations.
MARCUS AMPADU 10 years ago
I beg to differ, Vuvuzela. In addition to the enforcement, we do need the education - both mass education and the regular education from the elementary to the tertiary level. We must teach the concepts of environmental scienc ... read full comment
I beg to differ, Vuvuzela. In addition to the enforcement, we do need the education - both mass education and the regular education from the elementary to the tertiary level. We must teach the concepts of environmental science, or ecology and conservation. Must be made mandatory.
Nana Ansah 10 years ago
What is amiss is in Ghana today is civic education. BBC Panorama is broadcasting -Track My Trash: Britain's illegal e-waste leaking into West Africa; E-WASTE ILLEGALLY DUMPED IN GHANA. How does a broken TV thrown out at a cou ... read full comment
What is amiss is in Ghana today is civic education. BBC Panorama is broadcasting -Track My Trash: Britain's illegal e-waste leaking into West Africa; E-WASTE ILLEGALLY DUMPED IN GHANA. How does a broken TV thrown out at a council site in London end up 3,000 miles away on a toxic dump in West Africa where children scavenge for metal waste in a cocktail of poisonous fumes?
Some of our enviromental problems are self induced but others like climate change are remotely produced by western nations and that leaves us most vulnerable.
Yes, waste can be gold but we need decision makers with backbone to stand up to such illegal practices mentioned above. Who allows such toxic waste into our country and turn around to mock at us. The victimizer laughs at us because we allow it. We in effect become self- inflicted victims.
Some of the problems are self induced because we can ban plastic bags like Rwanda is doing since 2009. When I was growing up, my mum's generation used to go to market with locally made rattan baskets which can be used many times over or bought brown paper bags which are easily disposable.
Ghanaian leaders get lucky! Look up the internet and you will find out that human waste is not waste but pure energy. From the Indian sub-continent to South America there are so many alternative methods to recycle, reuse and reduce waste being displayed for free on the cyberspace but the Ghanaian leaders in their ostrich-like manner do not see it.
We talk a lot and act less because our country is full of ignorant and belly thinkers. Ghana has been taken hostage by charlatans of all breeds which leaves us poverty-vulnerable. We need a total overhaul of our society and it starts with pre-school like kindergarten where we nurture a new breed of Ghanaians. All is not lost but we have to start. The journey starts with the first step.
Growing up in the 60's one could see keep the city clean signs with litter bins all over Accra and all Bus/lorry stations. If you dare litter you got a knock on the head from an adult. Look 1966 broke our back. Ghana got into disaaray after 1966. Ghanaians were doing everything on our own until those mindless fools interrupted our development in 1966.
Kofi VS. Kwame 10 years ago
becomes rocket sience! No House Numbers, -no proper refuse collection!
becomes rocket sience! No House Numbers, -no proper refuse collection!
Kweku Boateng Jnr. 10 years ago
Okunka, thank you. At the KNUST in Kumasi is a German trained professor Dr. Moses Mensah, he had some very practical ideas to facilitate waste management. Turning waste into energy. He gave up as there was no support. He a ... read full comment
Okunka, thank you. At the KNUST in Kumasi is a German trained professor Dr. Moses Mensah, he had some very practical ideas to facilitate waste management. Turning waste into energy. He gave up as there was no support. He and his students inverted a particular material to replace cement. He walked from one ministry to another for years without any support. This is Ghana.
Sweden imports 'bola' from Norway to generate electricity, why not Ghana?
The UK's Guardian newspaper publishes quality research from the UK universities every month, why can't Daily Graphic, Times, Mirror and Spectator support research and link to development? Why can president Mahama and his ministers use Dr. Osafo's cars? 'Bola' is money! Action needed now.
Vuvuzela 10 years ago
Spot on!!!
I concur entirely. But you know, cluelessness in Ghana knows no bounds, especially talking about leadership. I also believe waste management shouldn't be so difficult in Ghana when control measures are put in pl ... read full comment
Spot on!!!
I concur entirely. But you know, cluelessness in Ghana knows no bounds, especially talking about leadership. I also believe waste management shouldn't be so difficult in Ghana when control measures are put in place to check individual behavior of people.
The one factor that preponderates in the balance has much to do with indiscipline we have always denounced of the citizenry. But I don't see how this can't be checked by a lawful body. As I have always maintained, everything starts with LAW and ends with LAW, without which disorientation sinks in. In Ghana, it has always been the same: We don't have functioning laws, so these situations won't change.
On the other hand, if you stretch your neck, you find the same lethargic situation in much or all of the West African sub-region.
You wait, one day, we have to go fetch the waste around and dump them in parliament and also before the premises of the Ministry concerned.
OKOE 10 years ago
THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE CITY DO NOT HAVE THE KNOWHOW AS TO THE MANAGEMENT OF A CITY SUCH AS ACCRA. EVERYTHING IS UPSIDE DOWN WITH REGARDS TO THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY. IF YOU HEAR ABOUT SOMEONES BUILDINGS OR RESIDENCES A ... read full comment
THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE CITY DO NOT HAVE THE KNOWHOW AS TO THE MANAGEMENT OF A CITY SUCH AS ACCRA. EVERYTHING IS UPSIDE DOWN WITH REGARDS TO THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY. IF YOU HEAR ABOUT SOMEONES BUILDINGS OR RESIDENCES ARE BEING AUCTIONED, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK OF THAT PERSON? IT TELLS YOU A LOT AND THAT IS AMA FOR YOU. YOU ARE RIGHT, THE CITY APPARATUS HAS NO CLUE HOW TO COLLECT ALL THE MONIES DUE THEM IN ORDER TO USE IT TO BENEFIT THE CITY. I CAN SAY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE MONEY MAY BE NOT BE PAYING THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. BY THE WAY, WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND OF MR. VANDERPUIJE?
MARCUS AMPADU 10 years ago
We have to demonstrate that one person's waste is another person's gold: an individual can make money out of waste.
We have to demonstrate that one person's waste is another person's gold: an individual can make money out of waste.
Benash 10 years ago
Very well said anyemi nuu. You've said it all and this is free advise. Our leaders don't have to (consult) pay for it.
It's my fervent hope that the president and his gov't will heed to your noble advice.
Very well said anyemi nuu. You've said it all and this is free advise. Our leaders don't have to (consult) pay for it.
It's my fervent hope that the president and his gov't will heed to your noble advice.
I agree with Bannerman's article. Our leaders must find a way to tackle this waste disposal problem before it swallows us. Cleanliness, as they say, is next to Godliness. Many houses don't have water closet toilets in this 21 ...
read full comment
A country that can not manufacture common trailer to pulled by a donkey can not take care of its waste, and that's a fact.
The lack of technology and innovation is what bedeviled the waste and sanitation challenges.
We all ...
read full comment
Unfortunately, Zoomlion company has monopoly over trash collection business in ghana and they are not doing a good job. The gov't needs to invite other private companies to compete with Zoomlion.
We also need to build more ...
read full comment
A timely and well needed article. Well done Onyemi Okunka. You mentioned three stakeholders in the dance to end our horrendous waste management problem.
You cited our governments over the years, the citizens, and others. You ...
read full comment
Not to disagree with you or to trivialize your contention, who needs education to know that waste matter increases health hazards?
The point is, in Ghana, people have to be coerced to behave. Left to the mentality of the ...
read full comment
I beg to differ, Vuvuzela. In addition to the enforcement, we do need the education - both mass education and the regular education from the elementary to the tertiary level. We must teach the concepts of environmental scienc ...
read full comment
What is amiss is in Ghana today is civic education. BBC Panorama is broadcasting -Track My Trash: Britain's illegal e-waste leaking into West Africa; E-WASTE ILLEGALLY DUMPED IN GHANA. How does a broken TV thrown out at a cou ...
read full comment
becomes rocket sience! No House Numbers, -no proper refuse collection!
Okunka, thank you. At the KNUST in Kumasi is a German trained professor Dr. Moses Mensah, he had some very practical ideas to facilitate waste management. Turning waste into energy. He gave up as there was no support. He a ...
read full comment
Spot on!!!
I concur entirely. But you know, cluelessness in Ghana knows no bounds, especially talking about leadership. I also believe waste management shouldn't be so difficult in Ghana when control measures are put in pl ...
read full comment
THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE CITY DO NOT HAVE THE KNOWHOW AS TO THE MANAGEMENT OF A CITY SUCH AS ACCRA. EVERYTHING IS UPSIDE DOWN WITH REGARDS TO THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY. IF YOU HEAR ABOUT SOMEONES BUILDINGS OR RESIDENCES A ...
read full comment
We have to demonstrate that one person's waste is another person's gold: an individual can make money out of waste.
Very well said anyemi nuu. You've said it all and this is free advise. Our leaders don't have to (consult) pay for it.
It's my fervent hope that the president and his gov't will heed to your noble advice.