The minister visited the homes of beneficiaries of the project in the Ga South Municipal Assembly area yesterday (Thursday).

He interacted with some of these beneficiaries on how the affordable toilet facilities have benefitted them and improved the sanitation situation in their communities.

One of the beneficiaries said, “the affordable toilet facility is such a relief. We no longer go through the frustrations we used to encounter just to answer to nature’s call. The only challenge is that we don’t have constant running water for flushing the toilets. But overall I would encourage everyone in the area to get one for themselves too”

The Minister, responding to the water concerns some of these beneficiaries raised said: ‘We want to assure them that government is doing everything to make sure we extend the facility. Now at least we have some capacity, all we need to do is to extend the water system so that it gets to households.”

“Be that as it may, this is better than queuing all day and night with our women being exposed to all the risks [of using the public toilet].”

He added that for public schools along the GAMA area, 260 institutional facilities would be built so that the students in these establishments can benefit as well.

Background

The GAMA Sanitation and water project is a $150 million endeavour sponsored by the World Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to help lower income level communities have access to affordable toilet and water facilities.

Rates for toilets

Beneficiary households would be expected to pay GHc 1, 100 for a complete facility which includes the structure, a toilet seat, a wash hand basin and a bio-digester.

For those with already existing structures the package would cost GHc 600, and if one required just the bio-digester, GHc 500.

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By: Michael Ogbodu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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“As a result, the sight of rubbish on the streets of Ghana’s major cities and towns will be a thing of the past,” the Minister said.

Speaking at a meeting with the press on Thursday, Mr. Adda indicated that the GHc 892 million inherited from the Mahama administration was owed the sanitation service providers who were unable to see to the cleanliness of cities and towns because of the debt.

“In the immediate past, what has stood in the way of the timely and efficient provision of waste management services or the collection of refuse or garbage, for that matter, was an outstanding debt of GHc 892 million which the ministry inherited from the previous government owed to waste management companies,” Mr. Adda explained.

But the Akufo-Addo administration had renegotiated the settlement of these debts and has also “commenced payment [of the debts] and has made resources available for the emergency evacuation of the heaps of refuse which are piled up, especially in Accra and our regional capitals.”

“The Ministry of Finance has released funds for the immediate evacuation of waste and that will be carried out within the next few days,” Mr. Adda added.

Closure of illegal dump sites

The minister noted that removal of the waste will also led to the closure of illegal dumpsites dotted throughout the capital of Accra and other regional capitals as well.”

The Ministry of Finance has released GHc 50 million for the construction of 15 mini transfer stations in line with this.

Mr. Adda explained that the absence of mini waste transfers stations strategically placed nationwide to serve as stop gap measures for waste management “is also a major contributed to the current filthy situation in Accra and has to be addressed.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’re clearing NDC Govt’s GHc 892m debt – Sanitation Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This debt is owed to sanitation service providers contracted by the state and until these debts are settled, the poor sanitation conditions will continue, according to, the sector Minister, Joseph Kofi Adda.

[contextly_sidebar id=”NyfnaCSNNBpqk2ZImOSAjCwjNUnpgnUb”]Speaking at a meeting with the Press on Thursday, Mr. Adda also said this was a debt inherited from the Mahama administration.

Ghana’s problem with filth is well documented, with plastic waste noted as a major sanitation problem nationwide.

Ghana’s capital city, Accra is inundated with rubbish and uncollected garbage which has earned it the 4th dirtiest city in West Africa.

The sight of refuse dumped on the streets or on pavements is not uncommon, with the rubbish sometimes being left by the waste management companies.

President Nana Akufo-Addo notably pledged to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa by the end of his tenure in office, but this GHc 892 debt will be a stumbling block.

“In the immediate, what has stood in the way of the timely and efficient provision of waste management services or the collection of refuse or garbage, for that matter, was an outstanding debt of GHc 892 million which the ministry inherited from the previous government owed to waste management companies,” Mr. Adda explained.

“This debt was accrued for the provision of various services such as fumigation, compensation for GYEDA [Ghana Youth Employment Development Agency], sanitation garbs, the provision of landfill management services, as well as debts arising from contracts with the ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Metropolitan Municipal, and District Assemblies.”

Thus, “these huge debts need to be settled before effective delivery of services can be carried out”  because these debts mean that the sanitation service providers argue, among other things, that “they needed fuel, they needed tires, they need to pay their workers so they were not able to collect the waste regularly the way we desire.”

Beyond this, “the value chain of waste management has not yet been well structured, nor has the financing of those services streamlined in such a manner to facilitate the easy collection, haulage, and treatment before final disposal,” Mr. Adda added.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GHc892m debt keeping Ghana’s streets filthy – Sanitation Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.