Ghana’s President launches national sanitation programme to meet MDG target

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday launched 80 vehicles for the commencement of the National Sanitation Programme with the assurance that government would work hard to account for the deficit in sanitation programmes.

He said as part of the activities to achieve sanitation targets in the country, government in collaboration with Zoom Alliance, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, have constructed a new landfill site at Kpone in the Greater Accra Region, while two more would be constructed in the Ashanti and Central Regions.

President Mahama, who launched the vehicles at Agbogbloshie on the theme “A Cleaner Ghana- A shared Responsibility for a Better Ghana” said government in partnership with Zoom Alliance had almost completed a 90 ton capacity compost plant at Adjinkotoku in the Eastern Region.

The President announced that Ghana was lacking behind in the Millennium Development Goal in sanitation, hence government’s decision to take up some adhoc measures to step up its sanitation agenda.

He said apart from constructing incinerators for all hospitals in Accra, government in collaboration with Zoom Alliance was also rehabilitating a liquid waste treatment plant that will deal with all liquid waste in the capital.

President Mahama said 16,000 persons had been engaged by the Ministry of Local government in collaboration with Zoom Alliance across the country to undertake the national sanitation programme in all communities.

The President called on all Ghanaians to join the sanitation bandwagon to ensure that the country achieved its Millennium Development goals and to rid the country of sanitation-related diseases.

Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Developmnt said government had spent a total of GH¢1.5 million to close old landfill sites.

He said government would roll out a number programmes in the coming weeks to help combat the sanitation challenges in the country.

Source: GNA