Health News of Monday, 8 September 2014
Source: GNA
NaWaBin, a solid Waste Management Company in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development on Saturday handed over a vehicle and waste bins to the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly.
The Assembly would in turn distribute the bins to various assemblies and communities in the Central Region in line with NaWaBin's determination to distribute about one million bins throughout the country within a year.
The handing over ceremony which, was witnessed by President John Dramani Mahama, Ministers of State, Tourists and people from all walks of life at the annual Afetu Afahye of the Oguaman would facilitate the fight against insanitary conditions in the country.
Mr Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuije, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, gave the assurance that the bins would help to stem the current pervasive rate of the cholera outbreak in the country.
NaWaBin, which is one of the newest sanitation companies in the country has promised to distribute 500,000 bins within the first six months and to complement the efforts of existing companies, as only five per cent of people in the country enjoy house-to house rubbish collection.
NaWaBin also have the ambition of enhancing household waste management practices by ensuring proper storage, collection and disposal of household solid waste.
Nii Vanderpuije said sanitation issues are going beyond the control of government and expressed satisfaction that the private sector is venturing into the fight against indiscriminate dumping of waste.
He said apart from the distribution of the bins, government is also undertaking other partnership measures which would subsequently rid the towns and cities of filth and raise the awareness of dumping of waste.
"The partnership with NaWaBin will include; expansion of infrastructure, sanitary sites, provision of solid waste equipment, major road networks to locate all the waste and bins in the communities."
The Deputy Minister advised Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to take advantage of their partnership with NaWaBin to improve on sanitation issues to ensure a healthy people in the coming years.
The company had distributed a number of bins and other equipment to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.