By Albert Oppong-Ansah, GNA
Ada (G/A), Nov. 3, GNA – Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been urged to integrate air pollution control measures into their development plans and budgets to protect public health and reduce the economic cost of pollution.
Mr Desmond Appiah, Country Lead of the Clean Air Fund, said local authorities had an important role in tackling air pollution through effective planning, enforcement of environmental regulations and public education.
He was speaking at a clean air boot camp organised for local government leaders, including Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Coordinating Directors and Presiding Members.
The engagement aimed to strengthen participants’ understanding of air pollution, its effects on public health and the economy, and the practical measures they could implement to improve air quality in their respective jurisdictions.
It also sought to equip local government leaders with evidence and data to support informed decisions and ensure that air quality became an integral part of local development priorities.
Mr Appiah cited research conducted by United Nation Development Programme indicating that ambient air pollution, which occurred outside homes, cost Ghana about $19 million annually, stressing that the economic burden and associated health consequences required urgent attention.
He said data from air quality monitoring in Accra, alongside research on the economic cost of pollution, provided important evidence to guide policymakers and local authorities in developing appropriate interventions.
Mr Appiah said assemblies could take several practical steps, including identifying pollution hotspots, incorporating air quality interventions into their annual action plans and allocating dedicated budgetary resources to address the problem.
He also encouraged assemblies to introduce and enforce bylaws against open burning, particularly in communities where the practice contributed significantly to air pollution.
On transportation, he said local authorities could promote better vehicle maintenance, address vehicle emissions and incorporate walking and other non-motorised transport infrastructure into urban development plans.
He said such measures would provide residents with safer alternatives to motorised transport while helping to reduce emissions.
Mr Appiah said bringing local government leaders together was important because they were directly involved in planning, implementing and enforcing policies at the community level.
He said informed local leaders could translate research findings into practical interventions that responded to the specific sources and levels of pollution in their communities.
“The one action I think assemblies can begin to take is mainstreaming air pollution into their development planning. They must understand the hotspots and sources of pollution in their areas and incorporate measures to address them into their plans,” he said.
He said planning officers should also use community engagements to educate residents on air pollution, its health implications and the actions being taken by their respective assemblies.
Mr Appiah expressed the hope that the engagement would encourage assemblies to initiate their own projects and interventions to reduce pollution and ensure cleaner air for their communities.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Albert Oppong-Ansah
Email: [email protected]