By Albert Oppong-Ansah, GNA
Accra, Sept. 7, GNA – The Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly is set to distribute waste bins to households within the next three weeks after local analysis identified open waste burning as a major contributor to air pollution in the Municipality.
The Assembly’s Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit’s technical analysis estimates that open waste burning accounts for between 58 and 61 per cent of local air pollution.
Alhaji Mohammed Haruna Awal. the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said the findings underscored the urgency of providing households with alternatives to burning waste while intensifying public education on proper waste disposal.
He said the Assembly had awarded a contract for the supply of waste bins and expected distribution to households to begin before the end of September.
“We are in the procurement stages of waste bins to share to the households. We advise them on waste segregation methods, how to segregate their waste,” he said.
The MCE said the Assembly’s strategy was to combine the provision of waste bins with education and enforcement to achieve lasting behavioural change.
He said the pollution figures were not intended to frighten residents but to encourage them to take action to protect the health of children, the elderly, traders, drivers and other residents.
“These are not figures to frighten us into paralysis. They are figures to move us,” he said.
He said the Assembly had started sensitisation programmes in schools to educate children about air pollution and discourage practices such as indiscriminate waste burning.
“At least if the young ones are able to inculcate those ideas in their heads, it will help going forward,” he said.
Alhaji Awal said the children could in turn influence their parents when they encountered waste-burning activities at home.
“We have started with the schools. As time goes on, we will move to the entire community,” he said.
The MCE said the planned distribution of household waste bins was intended to provide a practical alternative while encouraging residents to segregate their waste.
Alhaji Awal said although the Assembly’s bylaws contained sanctions against indiscriminate waste burning, public education was necessary to prepare residents for enforcement.
“We have some sanctions in our bylaws, but what it takes to get it done is more sensitisation. If you don’t sensitise the people, you can’t start enforcement,” he said.
He said residents needed to understand why waste burning was harmful before sanctions could be effectively applied.
“At least you should be able to sensitise the people well, let them see reason as to why they are not supposed to do what they are currently doing, that is by burning indiscriminately,” he said.
He expressed optimism that sustained education, followed by enforcement, would lead to improved sanitation and air quality across the Municipality’s 12 electoral areas.
Mr Desmond Appiah, Ghana Country Lead of the Clean Air Fund (CAF), said transport emissions and waste burning were the two major sources of air pollution in Accra.
“The two main sources of air pollution in Accra is transport and waste burning,” he said.
He said any intervention that improved waste management, reduced waste burning and improved the transport system was therefore critical to efforts to achieve cleaner air.
Mr Appiah described the Stop Waste Burning campaign as a major intervention that needed sustained support, saying failure to maintain momentum could undermine the resources and efforts already invested in addressing the problem.
He said Ghana had a national plan to stop waste burning and was also investing significant resources in improving waste management.
Ms Barbara Davis, Head of Infinity 970, said the organisation’s Clean Air Day engagement was intended to help communities better understand the health consequences of air pollution.
She said although many people knew that smoke was harmful, they were often unaware of the extent of the damage air pollution could cause.
“People are informed. They know that smoke isn’t good for them, they just don’t know what the damage is,” she said.
GNA
Editor: Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Albert Oppong-Ansah
Email: [email protected]