Koforidua, July 10, GNA – Mr Kwadwo Adjei- Darko, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, on Wednesday observed that the filth that had engulfed towns and cities was more of bad attitudes and behaviours of the citizenry than funds and capacity as was often indicated. “It is common to see people throwing garbage anyhow, simply because they perceived that the responsibility of clearing the filth is that of government and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDA’s)”.
Mr Adjei Darko said this in a speech read on his behalf at the opening of a three-day conference, for the Coalition of Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), in Koforidua. He urged the participants to help change that perception before the situation got out of hand, adding that “managing waste must be everybody’s responsibility”. He said financing sanitation anywhere in the world was expensive and must not be left in the hands of government and the MMDA’s alone but should be cost sharing. Mr Adjei- Darko urged all private and public sectors, traditional rulers, opinion leaders (NGOs), and the various religious bodies to cooperate and give their support in that direction. He said the Ministry was seriously considering a number of sustainable management options such as Waste Stock Exchange concept, which principally aimed at waste reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery.
Sanitation Updates 