The wide-spread perception that politicians make dishonest living might have just received more credence from news making headline today July 12, 2023.
Ghanaians woke up to shocking revelation of how much Minister of Sanitation and water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah had stashed at home–and eventually stolen by the ministers’ house helps allegedly.
According to report Two house helps of the Minister are facing charges before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing an amount of $1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghanaian cedis at her residence in Abelenkpe, Accra.
But netizens considering the dire economic situation of the country are shocked that one person and a civil servant for that matter who have soo much at home, describing politicians as thieves.
This is a list of Eugene Arhin’s properties he got in 2017-2020. These Npp guys are thieves!!!! It’s now Cecilia Dapaah who has more than $10M in her house. pic.twitter.com/cdulTuYRra
One of the popular names that has dominated the Twitter trends this week is Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who has been in the news following an alleged theft involving two of her househelps.
The reports indicate that money and valuables worth thousands of pounds, and a million dollars, are reported to have been stolen from the Minister and her spouse’s house in Abelemkpe, Accra.
The accused, one Patience Botwe, an 18-year-old and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, are facing one count of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, involving amounts of US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis.
During the same period, the pair allegedly stole personal effects from Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry valued at US$95,000.
File photo: Bag and perfume. Source: Stock photo from Vecteezy
Further accusations involve Patience acting alone to steal six pieces of Kente cloth worth GHC90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belonged to the minister’s husband, etc.
The news has attracted mixed reactions from the public domain with a section of the public expressing shock while others including former President John Dramani Mahama has questioned why the Minister will keep such a huge amount in her home.
The Minister may be well-known for her significant role in the public sector; however, there are other aspects of her life that remain less familiar to the public. In this piece, The Independent Ghana will shed light on these lesser-known aspects and provide a more comprehensive view of her persona.
Cecilia Abena Dapaah, born on 27 November 1954, is a Ghanaian politician affiliated with the New Patriotic Party. She formerly represented the Bantama constituency in the Parliament. She has held various portfolios in the public sector including serving as the deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works, and Housing, and presently serves as Ghana’s Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, etc.
1. Experience in management and hotelier
In addition to her prominent role in the public sector, Cecilia Abena Dapaah also has experience in management and the hotel industry. She has twenty- five years’ experience in management and a hotelier and this diverse background adds to her multifaceted skills and expertise.
2. Gender and Human Rights activist
She is a Gender and Human Rights activist and has a great passion for the WASH sector which has heavily contributed to Ghana’s great strides in achieving the SDG 6 goal.
3. Academics
Hon. Dapaah’s academic laurels include Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Linguistics in 1979 from the University of Ghana, a certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School in leadership.
She also holds a postgraduate certificate in International Development Studies from the University of Oslo in Norway and a postgraduate certificate in Leadership Development for Women in Management from the Atlanta Management Institute.
4. Roles in the public sector
Hon. Dapaah served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Cocoa Processing Company between 2001 and 2006. She was the deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing under the erstwhile President Kufuor’s administration, from 2005 to 2006, and became the Minister of State from 2007 to 2008.
During the Minister’s term as Member of Parliament for Bantama (in the Ashanti Region) , she served on various committees such as Works and Housing; Advisory Committee to the Speaker; Employment, Social Welfare and Youth; Foreign Affairs; and Special Budget.
Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah was the Minister for Aviation from 2017 and served in that capacity till she was moved to the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources in 2018 till date. Whilst serving in the capacity as a Minister, Hon. Dapaah held the position of the Executive Oversight and Chairperson of the Ghana Aids Commission between 2017 and 2021. She was also the Caretaker Minister for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for a year (2021-2022). She is the Chairperson of the Infrastructure Committee of Cabinet and the President of the Council of Ministers of the Volta Basin Authority.
5. Enormous contributions at workshops and conferences
Minister Dapaah has participated in several Conferences as their Guest Speaker notable among them are, World Bank Water Week, Sanitation and Water for All Ministers’ meeting, Budapest Water Week, UNESCO International Week, World Water Week among others. The Minister’s dedication to her work has seen her being awarded as the “Incisive Public Servant” in 2019 by the Pan African Top Brands Eminence Awards. She also received the “Balafon award of Excellence” for her exceptional role as an Aviation Minister in 2018.
6. Strong religious faith and marriage
In addition to her notable achievements and public service endeavors, Minister Dapaah is known for her strong religious faith, which has been an integral part of her life and guiding force in her personal and professional journey. She is a member of the Methodist Church. She is also married with one child.
To a subject that has garnered national interest, minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, are reported to have been robbed by two of their house helps in their home in Abelemkpe, Accra.
The two, 18-year-old, Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei are said to have undertaken their operation between July and October 2022.
At an Accra Circuit Court, Patience and Sarah are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, which include amounts of US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis.
The following items and amounts of cash were stolen from Cecilia Dapaah’s residence:
US $1 million dollars
€ 300,000
Millions of Ghana Cedis
Assorted clothes valued at GHC 95,000
Handbags
Perfumes
Pieces of jewelry worth US $95,000
Six pieces of Kente cloth worth US $90,000
Six sets of men’s suits valued at US $3,000
Five accused persons, including Patience, her current and former boyfriends, as well as her father, are facing the court presided over by Susana Ekuful. The case has been adjourned to August 2, 2023.
Cecilia Abena Dapaah (born 27 November 1954) is a Ghanaian politician. She is a member of the New Patriotic Party and a former Member of Parliament for the Bantama constituency.
She previously served as the deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, and is the country’s current Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources.
Cecilia’s Early Life and Education:
Cecilia Dapaah was born on November 27, 1954 hails from Mpasatia in the Ashanti Region. She attended the University of Ghana, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and linguistics in 1979.
She holds a certificate in leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a postgraduate certificate in International Development Studies from the University of Oslo.
Dapaah was a development worker by profession and a special assistant to President John Kufour. In 2001, she was appointed the Chairperson of the Board of Ghana Cocoa Processing Company.
She was moved from the board in 2005, and made the deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing. In 2007, she was made a substantive minister till the end of the John Kufour administration in 2008.
Cecilia’s Political life (Career):
During the 2008 general elections, Dapaah contested and won the Bantama constituency elections. She received 36,708 votes out of the 48,476 which represented 75.7% of valid votes cast. Cecilia Dapaah was a member of the Parliament of Ghana from 2009 to 2013.
She served on various parliamentary committees in Ghana including Works and Housing; Advisory Committee to the Speaker of the Parliament; Employment, Social welfare and Youth; Foreign Affairs; and Special Budget.
Dapaah was elected as the member of parliament for the Bantama constituency of the Ashanti Region of Ghana for the first time in the 2004 Ghanaian general elections. She won on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party.
Her constituency was a part of the 36 parliamentary seats out of 39 seats won by the New Patriotic Party in that election for the Ashanti Region. The New Patriotic Party won a majority total of 128 parliamentary seats out of 230 seats. She was elected with 41,064 votes out of 49,174 total valid votes cast equivalent to 83.5% of total valid votes cast.
She was elected over Alhasan Napoh of the National Democratic Congress and Yaw Owusu Boafo of the Convention People’s Party. These obtained 14.8% and 1.7% respectively of total valid votes cast.
On 7 January 2017, President Akuffo-Addo nominated her for the position of Minister of Aviation. She was vetted by the Appointments Committee of the Parliament of Ghana on 8 February 2017.
During her vetting, she testified that she would improve the aviation industry in Ghana, and that her priority was to restart a national carrier by 2019. She was of the view that the unavailability of the carrier was depriving Ghana of several millions of cedis in revenue.
The last national carrier was Ghana International Airlines, which collapsed in 2010. In March 2017, she announced that Ghana was progressing with its desire to become the aviation hub of the West African region.
News of an alleged theft involving two house helps of the Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, has attracted mixed reactions from the public domain. While some have expressed shock at the act, others have questioned why the Minister would keep such an amount in her home.
Latest to comment on the matter is former President John Dramani Mahama, who has described the incident as scandalous.
“$1m + €300k and millions of GHS in a Ghanaian Minister’s home? Scandalous!! Even if genuinely acquired, why keep millions of hard currency at home? Will @NAkufoAddo ever set a good example for public office holders in his administration?” the former President tweeted.
$1m + €300k and millions of GHS in a Ghanaian Minister’s home? Scandalous!!
Even if genuinely acquired, why keep millions of hard currency at home? Will @NAkufoAddo ever set a good example for public office holders in his administration?
Two house helps, 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, are currently facing charges before an Accra Circuit Court for their alleged involvement in the theft of significant sums of money and personal belongings belonging to Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour.
According to a report by The Chronicle, the thefts, which amount to millions of Ghana Cedis, reportedly took place at the couple’s residence in Abelemkpe, a suburb of Accra, between July and October 2022.
The accused, Patience and Sarah, are facing one count of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, involving amounts of US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis.
During the same period, the pair allegedly stole personal effects from Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry valued at US$95,000.
Further accusations involve Patience acting alone to steal six pieces of Kente cloth worth GHC90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belonged to the minister’s husband.
The court also charged three additional individuals in connection with the thefts.
Benjamin, a 29-year-old plumber, has been accused of dishonestly receiving GHC180,000, while Kweku Botwe, a 65-year-old trader, faces charges for dishonestly receiving GHC50,000. Additionally, Malik Dauda, a 23-year-old unemployed individual, is alleged to have dishonestly received GHC1 million.
Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has stated that the ministry is partnering with stakeholders to guarantee that dumping sites that have been abandoned for long are effectively revamped into recreational centers to boost tourism.
Citing the 20-year-old heaps of refuse at the Korle Dudor site, Old Fadama, she said the heaps of refuse at the site would be re-engineered.
Mrs Dapaah indicated that the mandate of the ministry under the Greater Accra Resilient Integrated Development(GARID) project was to clear unnecessary and illegal heaps of refuse that had the potential of being washed into the Odaw River.
She made this known at Old Fadama as part of her familiarisation tour of the area last Wednesday.
Old Fadama has a population of about 152,000 made up of mainly scrap dealers, mechanics, kayayeis, food vendors and street hawkers.
As part of the tour, she visited the Madina Market and the Ofankor Railway dumpsite, among others.
Mrs Dapaah reiterated that as part of the support provided by the Ministry, heaps of refuse in towns and cities that used to be the phenomenon were no more.
On the issue of waste management within the Odaw Basin, the minister further explained that the approach of sorting out refuse was the way to go since it was also a means of job creation for the youth. In this sense, the washout of refuse into the Odaw River would be eliminated because the river was a living organism.
She added that at the Kpone site, the re-engineered landscape was so airy that people could use it as a recreational centre or a place for weddings for a fee to be used for maintenance and development.
In Dubai, Mrs Dapaah further explained, they used to bury their waste but now they had re-engineered their waste into a complex unit, including recycling plants estimated at the cost of about $1.2 billion. Ministry
She announced that already her ministry had distributed about 8,100 litter bins and was currently taking stock of them to replace and supply the worn-out ones.
Mrs Dapaah, therefore, called on residents of the area to avoid “burning electronic waste as it becomes hazardous and it pollutes the environment”.
The minister said generally during her rounds she was “happy that as a Minister of Sanitation what we used to see as heaps of garbage in towns is no more”.
She further explained that “as a ministry, we are to make sure that refuse or waste is not dumped into the Odaw River because that water body should be a living organism.
What we have seen here is that they have sorted out for recycling some items and I support that as it makes absolute sense to produce jobs for the youth”.
Mrs Dapaah urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and sanitation courts to prosecute those who flouted sanitation laws, including those who leave their stray animals to roam the streets of Accra.
She said when the animals were seized, as an offence, they could be sold and the proceeds used to develop beneficiary communities. Reduce prices
At the Madina market, Mrs Dapaah told traders to reduce their prices to reflect the current reduction of fuel prices and transportation fares.
That was because she noted that some traders had a penchant for increasing prices of foodstuffs at the various markets in Accra and not reducing them even if the government had reduced the cost of fuel and transportation fares.
Mrs Dapaah, who was accompanied by some staff from the ministry, further advised traders at the market to avoid preparing food under unhygienic conditions.
She commended the market women for maintaining good sanitation, which had made the market clean at the time of her visit.
The minister equally entreated the traders to avoid throwing rubbish indiscriminately when dustbins and refuse containers had been provided in the market. Ofankor dump site
At the Ofankor Railway dump site, Mrs Dapaah expressed her displeasure about the inability of the Ga North Municipal Assembly to constantly empty the refuse containers when the sector ministry had distributed soil compactors and refuse containers to the beneficiary assemblies.
According to MadamCecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services are a priority for the government.
That, she said, could be achieved with the support of all stakeholders and development partners.
Madam Dapaah said this in a debate organised by the United Nations at its annual Water Conference in New York, USA, from March 20-25, 2023, a statement issued by the Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency said on Monday.
The conference was the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of International Decade for Action; Water for Sustainable Development – 2018-2028.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, in a message to the conference, said; “The UN 2023 Water Conference in March must result in a bold water action agenda that gives our world’s lifeblood the commitment it deserves.”
The general debate of the conference was that; “Water is a dealmaker for the Sustainable Development Goals, and for the health and prosperity of people and the planet.”
“But our progress on water related goals and targets remains alarmingly off track, jeopardising the entire sustainable development agenda.”
Madam Dapaah said water was a fundamental part of all aspects of life and it was inextricably linked to the three pillars of sustainable development (economic viability, environmental protection, and social equity), which were integrated into sociocultural, economic and political values.
“Water is crosscutting and supports the achievement of many SDGsthrough close linkages with climate, energy, cities, the environment, food security, poverty, gender equality and health, amongst others,” she said.
“With climate change profoundly affecting our economies, societies and environment, water is indeed the biggest deal breaker to achieve the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
The conference, co-hosted by the governments of Tajikistan and the Netherlands, featured six plenary meetings and five multi-stakeholder interactive dialogues, as well as high-level special and side events.
Participating governments and stakeholders made new commitments and pledged to work towards achieving SDG-Six and other water-related goals and targets.
The governments of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire have pledged to co-ordinate and reinforce security operations at their borders to prevent activities that affect the quality of the Bia and Tano water resources.
Also, the two countries are to halt all illegal mining activities that lead to the pollution of the basins and share best practices and knowledge in mining and other necessary areas.
These were contained in a communique issued after a bilateral meeting between the two countries on the Bia and Tano transboundary water systems.
A joint communique issued and signed in Accra by the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah, and the Ivoirian Minister of Water and Forestry, Mr Laurent Tchagba, said all illegal mining activities that lead to the pollution of the two basins must be brought to an end “as a matter of urgency.”
According to the ministers, in spite of the mitigation measures that both countries have been implementing, the level of pollution of the two river basins was still beyond the normal standard.
The communique noted that reactivating and making permanent, the Joint Ministerial Committee and the Joint Technical Sub-committee to monitor pollution caused by illegal mining on the transboundary river basins and also expand the committees to include other relevant sectors, was necessary.
At the end of the bilateral meeting, Ms Dapaah said that Cote d’Ivoire’s Water and Forestry Minister, Laurent Tchagba, expressed gratitude to the government and the people of Ghana for the warm and fraternal welcome accorded them, and for the exceptional quality of the organisation of the meeting.
She assured that Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire would remain committed to implementing the recommendations.
The Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) and other private businesses interested in Ghana’s waste management sector have been asked to consider the prospect of engaging in used vehicle recycling.
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, made the call when she received a delegation from Wongpanit Pathong Company Limited, a leading Thailand and global waste management company, at her ministry on Friday, (24 February).
The meeting with the minister and the Wongpanit delegation, led by their president, Dr Somthai Wongcharden, was facilitated by the JGC.
According to Dapaah, recycling of used cars will be a new area for Ghana’s waste management sector, adding that it holds prospects for potential investors.
“It will be very interesting for the Jospong Group of Companies and other interested private companies to explore the possibility of investing in the recycling of used cars,” she urged.
She was very delighted that the Thailand waste management giant was into recycling of used cars and other car products including used batteries.
“We have a lot of damaged cars sitting in the police stations; a lot of used car tyres gathering mosquitoes, especially during the rainy season, and this is a very interesting area,” she said.
She was also happy that the Jospong Group of Companies was forging a new relationship with a global waste management company in Thailand.
“I must say that you are with the right person and the right company (making reference to Dr Siaw Agyepong and his Jospong Group of Companies),” she told the delegation.
She praised the Jospong Group of Companies for its growth in the recycling space of waste management.
“But I am sure you [Wongpanit Pathong] are older and bigger as a company so the mutual working together will be highly profitable,” she optimistically stated.
Dapaah, therefore, appealed to both foreign and local investors to come and invest in Ghana’s waste management space, underscoring that Ghana produces about 7 million tons of waste a year of which about 64% is organic.
She intimated that the collaboration between the government and the private sector was yielding “huge results.”
“…and I must say that we are on the right path,” she admitted.
One of such major collaborations, she said, was the construction of recycle plants in all the 16 regions of the country.
“And as I speak, we have 2 of 3 liquid waste management companies that are also ready. One has been commissioned and we have 2 more coming up,” Dapaah said.
These waste management facilities, she said, were made possible through the government’s collaboration with the JGC.
Dapaah re-affirmed the government’s policy of collaborating with the private sector to spur the country’s growth, insisting that “without the private sector we will not succeed.”
The Pru East member of parliament, Kwabena Donkor has bemoaned the shortage of water inYeji.
According to him, the people have been denied water for over 15 years due to disrupted water supply.
Kwabena Donkor raised this concern when he asked the sanitation minister when the broken-down water systems in Yeji and Parambo-Sawaba will be restored.
In response to this the Sanitation Minister,Cecilia Abena Dapaah, stated that the Yeji water system got flooded in 2010 resulting in damage.
“Mr. Speaker, the Yeji water system was constructed in 2006, taking its raw water source from the Volta River. The system provided the water needs of the community under the management of a private operator, Messrs. TBL Resources Limited.
“In 2010, the water intake point for the system got flooded, resulting in damage to the pump house, surface pumps and treatment plant, all located at Yeji.
She added the Government of Ghana, through the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, has awarded a contract for the rehabilitation and expansion of the system, at a total cost of Five Million and Forty-Five Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety Ghana Cedis, Fifty-Nine Pesewas (GH$5,045,390.59).
This project she says, has been completed and final inspection and taking over by CWSA is underway.
“…Water supply to the community was disrupted and since the private operator could not make adequate investments to undertake major repairs and maintenance, it has affected the operational efficiency of the system making it economically not viable to the operator who consequently abandoned the management of the water system in 2011.
“Mr Speaker, as part of efforts to ensure efficient provision and management of water systems, the CWSA took over the management of the system in 2018, and sought to rehabilitate and improve its operational efficiency.
“Currently, the contractor has completed all works and final inspection and taking over by CWSA is underway. Mr Speaker, in the case of the Parambo-Sawaba water system which was constructed in 2008, it was also affected by floods resulting in disruption of water supply to the community. The private operator, Messrs. ABCO Limited could not repair the damaged system and so, abandoned the facility in 2011,” she added.
Cecilia Dapaah added that the government, through Community Water and Sanitation Agency, has carried out a valuation of water system.
“As part of the drive towards efficient management of water systems in the country, the CWSA carried out an assessment of the water system in 2022 with the aim of reconstructing it. The assessment indicated that the intake and pump control room were damaged and required complete replacement. The treatment plant was also partially damaged and so required rehabilitation,” she added.
According to the Sanitation Minister, government has contributed around $1 billion to make it easier to meet the country’s long-term water and sanitation needs.
Cecilia Abena Dapaah stated that the government used a Public Private Partnership (PPP) strategy to address the escalating demand for water and sanitation demands throughout time.
When Dr. Rashid Mbaziira, the Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), paid her a courtesy visit in Accra, Mrs. Dapaah revealed this.
She pointed out that the implementation of the PPP strategy resulted in the construction of integrated compost and recycling plants, wastewater treatment facilities, condominium sewers, and water intake and treatment facilities.
“The country is open to new proposals and inputs in tapping into Ghana’s 53.2 billion m3 Renewable Water Resources,” she added.
Following the reviewing of the National Sanitation Policy, with focus on open defecation, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources indicated that the ministry was fully committed to supporting the activities of AMCOW through data sharing with sister countries for the collective good of Africa.
Mrs Dapaah said it was important to mobilise high-level political buy-in and commitment for the roadmap to formulate the post-2025 Africa Water Vision in implementing continental and global commitments on water and sanitation.
She reiterated Ghana’s full support for the proposal to appoint a United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Water to strengthen Africa’s voice at the global level in order to accelerate progress towards achieving water and sanitation goals in Africa.
Dr Mbaziira for his part stressed the need for African countries to focus on using the digital elements available to them for data collection in the water sector.
He used the opportunity to commend Ghana for the successful implementation of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) Water and Sanitation Projects, and the World Bank is considering replicating the project in other African countries.
The Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has bemoaned the poor state of the Birim River due to the activities of illegal miners.
She says the Birim River is one of the most polluted river bodies in the country.
She attributed the pollution to the ‘galamsey’ menace in the Eastern Region.
The Minister was responding to questions from the Ranking Member on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Kofi Okyere Agyekum on the Begoro and Osino water treatment plants and their ability to supply clean water to the communities in that enclave.
Responding to the question posed, she noted that the polluted Birim River which is the source of water makes it difficult.
“One of the most polluted water bodies is the Birim and that will be the raw source for our raw water. So if at the end of the day, we borrow money through the vision of the President and the water source is polluted, what will be the result,” she asked.
According to her, there are processes involved in water supply, and the Ministry has submitted a financial term sheet to the Finance Ministry.
She added that the Chief Director is currently following up on it. Mrs. Dapaah indicated that the Ministry hopes to receive feedback from the Finance Ministry after the negotiation with the International Monetary Fund.
The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has entreated market women and other traders to practice personal hygiene to render hygienic services to their customers.
Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister, who gave the advice, said since traders handled money, food, and other edibles, it was important they washed their hands properly, especially when they visited the washrooms.
At the launch of the 2022 Global Handwashing Day at the Kejetia Market in Kumasi, Mrs Dapaah said washing of hands properly could save a million lives every year as opportunistic diseases like cholera, dysentery and COVID-19 would be prevented.
Global Handwashing Day, which is celebrated on October 15, is to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to deliberate on essential and sustainable hand hygiene interventions.
This year’s celebration was on the theme: “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene”.
The Ministry’s choice of the market was because market players had critical roles to play in promoting hygiene in terms of food stuff and ensuring their safety for consumption.
“It is, therefore, important to throw more light on the relationship between food and hygiene practices,” the Minister said.
“Hand washing is an important part of a set of hygiene behaviours that keep food safe and prevent food-related illnesses.”
Mrs Dapaah said the contamination of food items with fecal matter could easily occur without conscious effort to practice hand washing with soap under running water.
She called on the public to make hand washing a priority in their daily activities to ensure better health for all.
She donated 10 hand washing sets of equipment to the Kejetia Market Traders’ Association to enhance the hand washing culture in the market.
Nana Kwasi Prempeh, the President, Federation of Kumasi Traders, pledged to continue the education on sanitation and hygiene during their meetings and maintain healthy surroundings at the point of sales.
He appealed to the Ministry to supply them with more hand washing equipment as there were more than 7,000 traders in the market.
He said the available kits would not be sufficient to ensure hygiene and health among traders and customers who patronised the facility.
According to Mr. Clifford Braimah, the Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), around 50% of the company’s treated water is lost as a result of the impact of illegal mining operations, often known as galamsey.
“Under normal circumstances, we should discard 5% of every 100 litres of treated water.
But in some circumstances, we throw out up to 50% of the water due to the excessive amount of turbidity, he explained.
According to the MD of GWCL, the situation has led to rationing water in some communities – adding that the toll of galamsey on their operations is devastating.
The company, Mr. Braimah added, now spends a huge sum of money on almost all its plants to treat water for consumption owing to illegal mining activities.
Also, he noted, the causes of pollution have resulted in a drastic reduction of water supplyvolume.
Mr. Braimah was speaking in an interview at the backdrop of a tour the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, made to the Ashanti Region, and said the only place that has clean water to treat is Kpone.
This, he said, is because the Volta River has still not been disturbed that much; and also the fact that the water undergoes various stages of segmentation before reaching Kpone.
He said owing to galamsey activities which have caused significant pollution of water-bodies, the machines used for treatment are periodically stopped and maintained more regularly than before. This is causing shutdowns to become more frequent, he added.
“Anytime you shut down your plant it means the people are not getting water, and so the causes are multiple. We cannot continue to operate this way, or else we will all have a challenge in this country,” he said.
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah – addressing an open forum at a stop at Bedabour in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, expressed worry about the state of water-bodies in Ghana.
She noted that this development has rendered many water-bodies unusable, with aquatic life becoming rare in water-bodies across the country.
The minister reminded residents of the Bedabour community that chemicals used in mining, such as mercury and cyanide are deadly – and can cause problems for women and their unborn babies.
She rallied the community to help government overcome the galamsey menace while calling for a collaborative effort to help arrest and prosecute illegal miners.
She made this known when she was answering questions on expansion of the scheme to cover non-beneficiary public basic schools across the country.
According to Madam Cecilia Dapaah, the expansion would be resumed when arrears owed the Ghana National School Feeding Caterers Association are cleared and a system is put in place to monitor payments.
Currently, however, arrears for the 2021 academic year have been paid to the caterers except third term, according to the Public Relations Officer of the Association, Caroline Aboagye.
“98% of caterers who had approval from the GSFP have received their money. The two per cent who have not received their monies have mismatched names and mixed E-Zwich numbers.
“Those are the only few who have not received their monies for the second term of the 2021 academic year.Â
We still plead with the government and the secretariat to speed up things for us to receive the third term payments to enable us to work diligently,†she said in an interview with Citi newsroom.
Meanwhile, expansion of the programme, as announced during the presentation of the 2022 budget in Parliament by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is expected to be increased to benefit 4 million pupils across the country.
Currently, the number of pupils signed onto the programme stands at 3.4 million from over 10,832 public basic schools, having increased from 1.7 million in 2016/2017.
Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, has stated emphatically that though Ghana is endowed with 53.2 billion cubic metres of water this does not give individuals or group of persons any excuse to destroy water bodies.
“It is our duty to ensure that we keep our rivers and water-bodies clean so that the next generations to come will enjoy what God has given to us,†she said, adding that government is embarking on a number of water projects.
“Sekondi-Takoradi very soon will benefit from a new water project; but unfortunately the intake is from the Pra River, and it is polluted and we cannot allow this to continue. Government has had enough; we need to support government, and when you see these activities you need to report to the authorities so those involved will be dealt with accordingly,†she said
She added that: “Rivers were sacred entities that people feared to enter, but what do you see these days? They are always polluted by galamsey activities. We need to be active citizens and not spectators,†she said at Daboase in the Wassa East Municipality of the Western Region, after touring the Daboase Water Treatment Plant.
She was accompanied by Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information. They are on a three-day tour in the Western Region to visit some water treatment plants and river-bodies, as well as some landfill sites among others. She urged all to support government in the fight against illegal mining activities.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, noted that although some efforts have been made on illegal small-scale mining and lessons have been learnt, there is still need for some national consensus and support toward the national policy relating to small scale mining.
He said there should be a well-sanitised and regulated small scale mining industry that contributes to the forward march and local economies of the country.
“President Akufo-Addo and his government are not against mining in Ghana, neither are we against small scale mining; in fact, on the contrary, we want to promote small scale mining and we want to do so on a regulated basis and in a responsible manner that does not compromise river/water-bodies and the environment,†he emphasised.
He said there are several countries where small scale mining thrives, and thrives properly; hence, there is a need for national support. He added that there is need for reforms at the ministry and the Minerals Commission. “On the licencing and permitting regime, we need to look at it, and we are going to reform all of them to be centralised,†he said.
He further revealed that the Forestry Commission has been directed not to issue any licence or permit to any individual or group of persons. “This will mean that no one can walk into any forest to mine, because forests and river-bodies are red lines no one should cross,†the minister warned.
Again, he said: “I have directed all regional ministers across the country to take full control and responsibility for the security components in the fight against illegal miningâ€. He called on Ghanaians to see the fight against illegal mining as being a fight for all.
The government has announced a ramping up of efforts to protect Ghana’s water bodies from the activities of small scale miners.
The renewed efforts include the enforcement of the ban on mining on water bodies across the country.
This was announced by Water and Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah at the start of a national tour of water bodies.
Minister Abena Dapaah was joined on the tour by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and other key government functionaries.
The delegation first visited the Sekyere Hemang water treatment plant that supplies water to large parts of the Central Region before heading to examine the Daboase water treatment plant that supplies water to parts of the Western and Central Regions.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, April 19, 2021, Mrs Dapaah said the tour forms part of the government’s collaborative efforts to systematically root out illegal small scale mining and restore the sanctity of water bodies in the country.
She disclosed that the government is embarking on several water projects but the intake points of these water bodies have been compromised by activities of illegal miners stressing that as a result, the government has tasked Regional Security Councils to move in and help clamp down on illegal mining in these areas.
The Minister used the opportunity to appeal to chiefs and other traditional leaders within these areas to support the government in stamping out the galamsey menace.
The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) has intensified its efforts to ensure that drains in the national capital, Accra, are rid of plastics and other solid waste to facilitate flow of water.
Speaking to a cross-section of journalists yesterday after an assessment tour of some of the major drains in Accra, the Minister of MSWR, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, explained that the exercise was to help rid the Accra drains of plastics and allow for easy flow of water.
“…we are doing sanitation or cleaning everyday but some issues like blocking the drains become a bigger issue for residents, hence the presence of Zoomlion and the military to assess the situation. So we came here [Kawukudi in Accra] to assess the situation and make sure the drains are rid of these plastics,†she explained.
Clean Accra Project
The exercise, under the Clean Accra Project, is a collaboration between the MSWR, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the municipal assemblies, and a team of military personnel.
The exercise took the minister to Kawukudi in the Ayawaso East Municipal and also the Ayawaso North Municipal—all in the Greater Accra Region.
According to her, if the drains were not rid of solid waste (plastics), access of easy flow of water would be difficult, which will become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other vector transmitting agents.
She went on to add that the exercise was also aimed at preventing cholera and the outbreak of other diseases.
“So we want to prevent cholera, malaria and other diseases that might break out and at the same time sensitise the residents to clean their environment because it is their primary responsibility,†she said.
Minister lashes out recalcitrant
Mrs Dapaah lashed out at residents who had cultivated that habit of gathering waste from their homes and dumping them into the drains, describing such citizens as “irresponsible.â€
She warned against dumping refuse into the drains to ensure that they are “neater, clearer.
She said, refraining from throwing garbage into the drains, would see the assemblies send tricycles round to collect refuse in the various municipalities.
To this end, Madam Dapaah indicated that her outfit endorses the Environmental Service Providers Agency (ESPA) Ghana policy of “One House One Bin, urging ESPA to continue with the programme.
“We endorse the ESPA policy 110% of One House One Bin,†she averred.
When asked about her assessment of the effectiveness of the district assemblies in the Clean Accra Project, she said though the work was not easy, they needed to be applauded.
However, she stressed that aside from sensitising and persuading residents to be mindful of their environs, “the clearest and easiest way was for all of us to get a bin.â€
She also applauded the role of the media in ensuring that the capital city was always clean.
The Government spent an amount of GH¢233,936,273.00 on a nationwide free water supply announced by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as part of the package put in place to combat the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the country.
The free water supply was for three months commencing from April and ending in June, 2020.
Taking her turn at the Meet-the-Press Series organised by the Ministry of Information, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah said her outfit in collaboration with the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) supplied and installed a number of water tanks to various regions.
“These tanks were installed to supply water to the vulnerable and the poor across the various regions. Approximately, 750,000 people benefited from the free water supply intervention using the mounted water tanks across the country,†she added.
The minister saidexisting domestic customers of GWCL also enjoyed the three-month free water supply across the entire country. Water tanker services were also deployed across all the regions during the period.
Mrs Dapaah said government has also obtained 7.9million Euros soft loan from the Unicredit Bank of Austria to enhance the management of GWCL Water Supply network.
Under this facility, she said the GWCL would deploy the relevant application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Hydraulic software to provide spatial data asset register of all the operational units for engineering, planning and visual management, optimization of revenue through efficient billing and collection and more importantly, reduction of non-revenue water which would be centrally monitored.
According to her, the loan agreement for the project had been signed with work commencing on December 21, 2018 and is expected to be completed within 31 months,†she added.
Mrs Daapah said the ministry was currently preparing the Cabinet memorandum for the implementation of the Sunyani Water Supply Project which is estimated at €289, 984, 810, adding that government is in line to secure financing from the Swedish Export Credit Corporation.
Touching on the management of solid waste, she said the ministry, under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID), had secured a parcel of land to construct an Engineered Sanitary Landfill and a Materials Recovery Facility in the Ga West municipality. In addition, two transfer stations will be constructed at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and the Adentan municipality respectively.
“Two major dumpsites at Abokobi and Agbogbloshie (Old Fadama) will be capped. Expression of Interest (EOI) for Consultancy Services for Detailed Engineering Design (DED) and construction supervision for the landfill and capping components have been received and are being evaluated.
Mrs Dapaah said the ministry has also commenced the construction of 5,000 household toilet facilities within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area under the GASSLIP.
She said the construction works are at various stages of completion, stating that it is anticipated that by the end of December 2020, all the facilities would have been completed which would benefit 50,000 people.
The Ministry of Sanitation says it has secured land to construct an engineered sanitary landfill in the Ga West Municipality.
This follows the planned decommissioning and re-engineering of the Kpone and Oti landfill sites after health concerns raised by residents in the respective communities.
Addressing the press on the work of the Sanitation Ministry so far, the sector Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, said two transfer stations will be constructed at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and the Adentan Municipality.
“In response to the overwhelming sanitation challenges, the Ministry, under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID), has secured a parcel of land to construct an Engineered Sanitary Landfill and a Materials Recovery Facility in the Ga West Municipality.â€
“In addition, two Transfer Stations will be constructed at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and the Adentan Municipality respectively. Two major dumpsites at Abokobi and Agbogbloshie (Old Fadama) will be capped. Expression of Interest (EOI) for Consultancy Services for Detailed Engineering Design (DED) and construction supervision for the Landfill and Capping components have been received and are being evaluated,†she revealed.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has launched a street litter bin program which has so far secured 8,100 litter bins to be positioned around the country.
Mrs. Dapaah urged Ghanaians to “not put in our house garbage or waste.â€
“It is for itinerant people who walk around with drinks to put in the bottles and your take away bowls if necessary.â€
“We have also distributed some of these new bins; we have 3,000 of them, we have distributed 600 to the Ministry of Defence for onward distribution to their installations and also 400 bins have also been given to the ministry of interior to serve our police stations.â€
“It is therefore expected of the general public to cooperate by depositing only litter generated while on the street, into these bins and not to fill them with household waste,†she said.
The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has disclosed that Government has activated the process to establish a National Sanitation Authority together with a National Sanitation Fund. The Authority, when established according to the minister, will help improve the monitoring of the various sanitation projects and mobilise increased funding for sanitation services in the country.
Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah made the disclosure at the weekly Meet the Press at the Ministry of Information today. She said, “The establishment of the Authority and the Fund will give our efforts significant focus, attract the requisite human capacity and mobilize resources for improved sanitation services delivery in Ghana.â€
She further added that, in a bid to ensure the constant supply of Environmental Sanitation Officers, the 3 schools of hygiene for the first time in many years have seen major infrastructure development. She said in Accra and Ho, a new 2-storey, 9-classroom block each, is being provided while Tamale is benefiting from a rehabilitation of an existing hostel facility.
“Additionally, the Ministry has obtained financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance to engage the remaining 1,174 graduates from the three Schools of Hygiene. These are graduates from 2010 to 2019 and in collaboration with Office of the Head of the Local Government Service, they are going through the necessary recruitment processes.â€
On Policy reforms, the Minister said in 2017, a policy reform was initiated in the Community Water and Sanitation sub-sector to expand the mandate of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA). She said the reform sought to change the management of Piped Water Systems from Community Own Management concept to Professionalised Management with focus on the application of technology and innovation to ensure sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness of the Water Supply infrastructure which have been provided at high cost to the State.
“To this end, Government has spent a total of GHC60million to rehabilitate and expand 151 Small Town Piped Water Systems across the country. Some of the systems that have been rehabilitated are in Vakpo, Taviefe, Akatsi in the Volta region, Mim in the Bono region, Manso Nkwanta, Manso Atwedie Juaben and Seniagya in the Ashanti region. Most of these Systems were in a state of disrepair at the time the CWSA took over.â€
The Minister added that as part of measures to introduce new skills to support the introduction of Innovation and Technology in Water Systems Management, 1,087 professionals (Engineers, Water Safety Specialist, Accountants) and 409 auxiliary staff (Plumbers, Technical operators) have been employed.
“An additional 250 jobs are expected to be created by the close of the year. In addition, GHc3.3million out of GHc5million outstanding electricity bills incurred by the Water and Sanitation Management Teams have been paid resulting in the restoration of power to the water supply infrastructure in the communities.â€
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah has disclosed that the government has activated the process to establish a National Sanitation Authority together with a National Sanitation Fund.
The Authority, when established according to the minister, will help improve the monitoring of the various sanitation projects and mobilise increased funding for sanitation services in Ghana.
Ms Dapaah disclosed this at the weekly Meet the Press at the Ministry of Information Wednesday morning [July 8, 2020].
She said, “The establishment of the Authority and the Fund will give our efforts significant focus, attract the requisite human capacity and mobilize resources for improved sanitation services delivery in Ghana.â€
She further added that, in a bid to ensure the constant supply of Environmental Sanitation Officers, the 3 schools of hygiene for the first time in many years have seen major infrastructure development. She said in Accra and Ho, a new 2-storey, 9-classroom block each, is being provided while Tamale is benefiting from a rehabilitation of an existing hostel facility.
“Additionally, the Ministry has obtained financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance to engage the remaining 1,174 graduates from the three Schools of Hygiene. These are graduates from 2010 to 2019 and in collaboration with Office of the Head of the Local Government Service, they are going through the necessary recruitment processes.â€
On Policy reforms, the Minister said in 2017, a policy reform was initiated in the Community Water and Sanitation sub-sector to expand the mandate of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA).
She said the reform sought to change the management of Piped Water Systems from Community Own Management concept to Professionalised Management with focus on the application of technology and innovation to ensure sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness of the Water Supply infrastructure which have been provided at high cost to the State.
“To this end, Government has spent a total of GHC60million to rehabilitate and expand 151 Small Town Piped Water Systems across the country. Some of the systems that have been rehabilitated are in Vakpo, Taviefe, Akatsi in the Volta region, Mim in the Bono region, Manso Nkwanta, Manso Atwedie Juaben and Seniagya in the Ashanti region. Most of these Systems were in a state of disrepair at the time the CWSA took over.â€
The Minister added that as part of measures to introduce new skills to support the introduction of Innovation and Technology in Water Systems Management, 1,087 professionals (Engineers, Water Safety Specialist, Accountants) and 409 auxiliary staff (Plumbers, Technical operators) have been employed.
“An additional 250 jobs are expected to be created by the close of the year. In addition, GHc3.3million out of GHc5million outstanding electricity bills incurred by the Water and Sanitation Management Teams have been paid resulting in the restoration of power to the water supply infrastructure in the communities.â€
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah has said cabinet has given approval for the start of the Phase 3 of the Five Districts Water Supply Scheme also known as the STRABAG Project, which is designed to provide water to 183 communities and about 222,075 people in the Central Tongu, North Tongu, Ho West, Adaklu and Agortime Ziope Districts.
Addressing the Meet the Press series in Accra Wednesday morning, Ms Dapaah said the project concept is in four (4) phases, from feasibility to design and construction.
“Upon completion of phase 1 and 2, Parliament approved a loan facility of €11.5million in April, 2020, to be financed by Raiffeisenbank International of AG/Vienna, for the implementation of the Phase 3. The scope includes the completion of the distribution network in areas which are already connected by transmission mains, with drinking water treatment plant constructed under phase 1&2; and connection of Waya to Kutime by transmission mains, with 3 water towers and a distribution network along the transmission main.â€
Ms Dapaah announced that the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project which started in January 2018, ended on June 30, 2020. She said, in all, 23 water Systems were provided in 164 Communities within 11 Regions namely; Upper West, Upper East, Northern, Savannah, North East, Central, Western, Western North, Bono, Ahafo and Bono East Regions. In addition, 250 Boreholes were constructed in the Upper West region. She said the total population served by the project is approximately 325,000.
“I am happy to announce that, H. E. the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, symbolically commissioned all the Water Systems, at two separate ceremonies at Amasamkrom in the Mfantseman Municipality and Jei-Krodua in the Awutu Senya District, all in the Central Region.
It is worthy to note that, 184,000 people in 146 Communities in the Central Region are benefitting from the Project, and this has increased water coverage for the region from 63.8% to 70.04%. A massive 6.24% in just 3 years.â€
The Minister further announced that the Rural Communities and Small Towns Water Supply Project (RCSTWSP) otherwise known as the Aqua Africa Project is being undertaken by the Ministry through the Community Water and Sanitation Agency. She said the project will construct 150-point sources and 12 Small Town Water Systems to serve 588 communities across 5 regions, namely Volta, Oti, Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern. The project when completed will benefit about 282,000 people.
“The Project Implementation Manual for this project has been developed and the value for money assessment is on-going. Sod cutting will be performed for the take-off of the project by the end of this month, July, 2020.â€
The Sanitation and Water Resources Minister said under the Government Borehole Programme, the Ministry is undertaking the construction of 654 boreholes across the country.
“Currently, 433 out of the 654 boreholes have been drilled and the accompanying pads constructed. The Ministry has also procured pumps to be installed on these boreholes. The programme when completed will benefit about 220,000 people,†he said.
The Ministry of Information is hosting a press briefing which is being addressed by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.
The platform is to give the Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah the opportunity to brief the nation on activities undertaken by her ministry in ensuring a clean Ghana as well as quality water supply for the population, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has cautioned Ghanaians to consider themselves responsible water consumers, as she believes there are still many hidden ways people waste or misuse water every day, often without realizing it.
Her comments come after President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced that government has absorbed the water bill for all Ghanaians for the next three months as part measures taken to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking exclusively on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ program Monday, Cecilia Dapaah said saving water in the garden is just as important as in the home and cautioned people especially gardeners to desist from any such acts that will cause water wastage in this period of COVID-19 crises.
“We beg of you; this is not the time for water wastage or watering your gardens. Now that the rains are about to start, all of you should stop watering your gardens”, she told host, Kwame Sefa Kayi as monitored by Ghanaguardian.com.
She also warned against using plenty of water during car washing at homes as according to g to her, “we don’t want to get to a point where we’ll place a ban on the washing of cars and all such activities due to scarcity of water”.
Meanwhile, some 400,000 Ghanaians in vulnerable communities within the lockdown areas, thus, Greater Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi, will be given packed foods and cooked meals to relief them from hardships.
This was disclosed by President Akufo-Addo in his address to the nation on Sunday, 5 April 2020.
Over 250 security personnel drawn from the Ghana Army, Navy, Police and Fire Service have teamed up with workers of Zoomlion to embark on a cleanup exercise in Accra.
The exercise will be carried out in all other regions across the country.
The Sanitation Ministry which is spearheading the initiative in collaboration with the various assemblies is taking advantage of the lockdown to clean, cleanse and desilt major gutters to promote good hygiene in support of the coronavirus fight.
Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah admonished the group to clean and cleanse the various streets to the point where people can see their faces “when they look at the streets in their neighbourhoods.â€
She urged all homeowners to own bins, “we do not want to see people gathering their garbage on the ground for others to pick with their hands.â€
The Minister admonished those at home during the lockdown period to use the free time to weed around their homes and keep the environment clean.
For those allowed to step out, the Minister urged them not to litter the streets but use the bins provided.
“If you are caught, the full rigors of the law will be applied. Please do not litter,†she cautioned.
Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah has urged Ghanaians to take advantage of the lockdown and clean their homes.
The Sanitation Ministry today begins a 3-day clean-up exercise of Accra and Kumasi.
Ms Dapaah speaking at a press briefing said this will be the best time for many Ghanaians to clean their streets and gutters since they are home.
According to her, the Ministry will take advantage of people being home to clean up our streets and gutters, She says now that the streets have been cleared of hawkers a nationwide cleanup exercise can be held.
“The Ministry will undertake a cleanup exercise in the Greater Accra with effect from today till Sunday and we expect individuals to do same in their various houses”
This cleanup exercise is being spearheaded by the Sanitation and Water Resources Ministry but they will work hand in hand with the Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies and members of the Environmental Service Providers Association “led by Zoomlion Ghana Limited.â€
There have been numerous calls from a section of the public for a clean-up exercise to be done due to the heaps of rubbish that one sees anytime they are in town.
Recently there was a fumigation exercise done at Accra and Kumasi markets and that was part of measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah has said that the entire country will be open defecation free by the year 2030 as entrenched in SDG goal 6.
Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Sugandh Rajaram paid a courtesy call to the Sanitation and Water Resources Minister at the ministry in Accra today to cooperate with the ministry to fight and eradicate open defecation and also to provide good water for the people of Ghana.
The Indian High Commissioner together with Sanitation minister has let known that the Axim Bank in India has given out 30 million dollars for a substantial water project to commence at Yendi.
Mr. Sugandh Rjaram established that Ghana-India has common problems associated with water and sanitation so there is the need to work hand in hand to solve these problems effectively.
According to the Minister, Sanitation is purity, therefore, the indefatigable President, Nana Addo has pledged to give Ghanaians a better life with proper sanitation and good water for all to enhance the standard of living hence the creation of the Sanitation and Water Resources Ministry adding that the ministry has put so many things in place in terms of resources and projects to curb open defecation in the country.
Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah added that within 3 years in office the ministry has been able to provide over 1,3000 household toilets serving about 5,948 communities with 832,000 beneficiaries as she stressed that the ministry is also increasing in water coverage in both rural and urban areas with the help of the assembly members and the unit committee members as supervisors of the projects to the achieve the campaign of the President “good water for allâ€.
She stressed that the activities of some groups of people like illegal miners, factory workers, and others have caused damage to various water bodies in the country which has really affected the country but the ministry will help curb it.
Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah again urged the good people of Ghana to also help and work hard to eradicate open defecation in their various communities to enhance proper sanitation in the country.
On matters arising, the Sanitation and Water Resources Minister has appealed to Ghanaian to maintain personal hygiene and also be careful with the people around us in other not to attract coronavirus adding that we should pray for the affected countries to overcome the sickness so that they can live their normal life again.
Madam Cecelia Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water resources, said this at the Eighth National Development Forum on the Sustainable Management of Ghana’s Sanitation, which was held in Accra last night.
She said poor sanitary practices, deprived the country of resources, that were needed for Ghana’s over all development.
The Minister said Ghana was for example blessed with 53 billion cubic meters of water, “but we are destroying our water bodies through illegal mining, the use of pesticides, and poor solid and liquid waste disposal.”
She said there were basic things that people could do to promote a clean environment, such as ensuring that homes were not built without toilet facilities.
The Minister also said it was important for everyone to treat their surroundings with care, and realise that refuse that were disposed carelessly, would not automatically disappear, but would only contribute towards destroying the environment.
Madam Dapaah said her ministry was putting in basic measures to promote good sanitation, such as the one house one refuse bin policy,
She said there was a deployment of refuse bins for pedestrians, adding that out of a target of 20,000 bins to be deployed, 5,100 had already been placed at vantage points.
The minister said plans were afoot to establish the National Sanitation Authority, which would be highly instrumental in ensuring proper management of sanitation in the country.
Mrs. Ama Gbadago, Executive Secretary, Environmental service Providers Association, said with the private sector partnering the assemblies, door to door waste management services had improved.
She said the private sector was eager to partner government to ensure good sanitary conditions in the country.
“All we want from government is an enabling environment, where we have clear guide lines,” Mrs. Gbadago said.
Professor (Prof) Esi Awuah, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Energy and Natural Resources, and chairperson for the event, said there was the need for a coordinated approach from all stakeholders, to ensure effective management of the country’s sanitation.
She said it was also important to evolve strategies, based on the unique circumstances pertaining in the country, in order to be successful.
The programme was organised by the National Development Planning Commission.
