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Sanitation situation disturbing -
Minister
Accra, Aug. 2, Ghanadot/GNA - The
sanitation situation in the country is deteriorating by the
day and this might lead to increase in sanitation related
diseases among children and the most vulnerable.
It is estimated that an appreciable number of children die
annually before the age of five mainly from preventable
sanitation-related diseases, said Kwadwo Adjei-Darko,
Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and
Environment.
Speaking at the launch of National Attitudinal Change
Initiative Project by Media in Partnership for Development,
an NGO, he called on all stakeholders to help maintain the
environment so that the country could make progress in
achieving the Millennium Development Goal on acquiring good
sanitation.
He said his was liaising with the judicial services to
ensure that sanitary laws were rigorously enforced. He is
also working on the introduction of sanitary guards in all
138 old Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts assemblies to
assist the Environmental Health officers.
He noted that financing sanitation services worldwide was
capital intensive and must not be left to governments alone
since its negative impact affected all.
Mrs. Esther Ofei-Aboagye, Director of Institute of Local
Government Studies, said the main objective of the project
was to foster national attitudinal change, particularly in
relation to sanitation and environmental hygiene issues.
She noted that in 2006 and 2007, the Institute ran a series
of regional programmes on Behaviour Change Communication for
Districts and Regional Environmental Health Officers.
“Action plans were developed as result of these programmes
and we would like to go back and examine the extent to which
these have been implemented,” she added.
GNA
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