Ernest Adu yirenkyi

Part A
Most developing countries have a huge problem of managing the wastes
generated in homes and industries of which Ghana is no exception. In the Ghanaian
capital Accra, about 1500-1800 tons of waste is produced daily but only 66 per cent
(1200 tons) is actually collected (Thompson Ian A, n.d). Of the 1200 tons of
garbage collected per day about 10 15% is composted (Dreschel, Kunze D.,
2001). Improper waste disposal have led to perennial flooding anytime it rained
heavily due to choked gutters as a result of filth, cholera deaths, typhoid fever and
other respiratory diseases. It has been reported that some communities leaving
around natural waterbodies sometimes dumped their waste into the water.
A possible way of solving the waste disposal problem in the country is to create
appropriate measures to change the attitude of the waste generators. A suggestion
is to setup waste processing sub-stations in the various districts of Ghana. Only
2% of the solid waste is recycled at a recycling facility in Ghana at the moment
(Global Project- Accra, 2012). I believe that if the citizens are assured of some
rewards for the waste they generate, the motivation to properly store them for
these income rewards is higher instead of the improper way of disposal which gives
them no benefit. For example, if the waste recycling companies will pay a little fee
to acquire these wastes for other products, chances are that households are more
likely to keep them well organized. Already, there positive examples of this
approach where people gather plastic waste and sell to industries which use them
to produce other goods. The present method of waste disposal at dumping sites
without any processing usually result in large heaps of waste abandoned for days.
This largely leaves residents with no other choice but to dispose off their waste in
other ways which are environmentally harmful and unhygienic. Bali Diksha (2013)
asserts that the few waste management companies have helped improved the
sanitation issue. When citizens know the waste produced can actually be wealth,
they will do everything possible to keep the environment clean. This approach can
be used all year round to keep the country clean and provide jobs for others.
Part B.
Request that the Ministry of Science and Environment and the Ministry of
Information collaborate to educate the general citizenry on proper waste disposal
and sanitation methods as well as the benefits of these actions.
Educating the public on the harms caused by improper waste disposal will
eventually result in attitudinal change from the former manner of indiscriminate
waste disposal and open defecation. It will help reduce the number of deaths and
health complications that are associated with poor sanitation and improper waste
disposal and create a healthier nation.
Call on government to initiate public private partnership in the waste management
industry and provide tax holidays for these companies for up to three years.

Waste management is a large and expensive sector that the government alone,
considering the limited resources cannot properly handle. Allowing the private
sector to invest in infrastructure and modern technologies for waste processing will
go a long way to improve this area. Providing tax holidays to new private companies
will make investment in the area attractive to investors.

STIMULATION 5.
References
Dreschel, Kunze D. 2001. Waste Composting for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture.
London, UK. CABI Pulbishing.
Global Project-Accra, Ghana. Mega-cities Project Website. Accessed on April 2, 2015.
Thompson, Ian A. (n.d). Domestic waste management strategist in Accra, Ghana
and other urban cities in tropical developing nations. Retrieved April 4th, 2014 from:
http://www.cwru.edu/med/epidbio/mphp439/Waste_Mgmt_Accra.pdf
Bali D. (2013). Managing Ghanas waste. Pulitzer center on crises reporting.
Retrieved April 4th 2015 from: http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/africa-ghanawaste-trash-sewage-management-landfill-poverty-public-health-safety-landfillspopulation