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Tamale, Ghana – The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, has decried the deplorable insanitary situation in the region and spells out measures to effectively and efficiently deal with it throughout his term in office.
According to the minister, “you have bushes all around, plastic rubbers all over, choked gutters in many areas, open defecation in cities and, generally insanitary conditions.”
He says, available data from the Ghana Health Service shows that top ailments in health facilities in the region relate mostly to unhygienic conditions in communities.
“Even though we have made good progress in dealing with open defecation, coming from 21.5% in 2016 to 61.4% in 2020 and, 62.6% for 2021 in CLTS situation in the region, it is sad to note that, available data from the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit indicates worrying trends in Open Defecation in our communities”.
The situation, he notes, is worst within the Tamale Metropolis and surrounding major towns such as Sagnarigu, Savelugu, Kumbungu and Tolon as compared to far districts such as, Yendi, Kpandai and Tatale.
“Tamale Metro with a total of about 116 communities has just a single community that is Open Defecation Free (ODF), the rest of the 115 remaining communities practice Open Defecation (OD). Sagnarigu with a total of 83 communities has only 10 ODF communities with the remaining 73 communities engaged in open defecation. Kumbungu with 136 communities has just 38 ODF communities with the remaining 98 communities practicing OD. Savelugu Municipal with a total of 76 communities has only 16 ODF communities with the remaining 60 communities engaged in OD whilst, Tolon District has a total of 115 communities with just 27 ODF communities with the remaining 88 practicing OD”, he points out.
Mr Shaibu made these revelations on Thursday when he launched “Clean Northern Region”, a campaign to clean up filthy places in the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the Northern Region.
According to Mr Shaibu, “the practice of OD together with widespread filth, choked gutters and drains are detrimental to our health and constitute a major threat to our lives. Our water bodies get contaminated when it rains, posing great dangers to disease outbreaks. In the midst of all of these, we are commencing Operation Clean Northern Region as a direct response to reawaken interest and action to deal with these menace.”
Mr. Shaibu says a five (5) Member Regional Sensitization Committee, to be headed by the Regional Environmental Health Officer is being constituted to roll out sensitization activities with the aim of realizing the objectives of the operation “Clean Northern Region” campaign up to the 28th of May, 2021.
Other members of the Committee will include the Information Service Department (ISD), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), a representative of the Regional Integrated Committee on Sanitation (RICS) and a representative of the Civil Society Organization (CSOs).
The committee, he explains, will carry out sensitization programmes on Radio, TV and other mediums of communication to the general public and bring up enthusiasm and support for the clean-up programmes.
According to the Minister, May 29th every year would be Northern Region Sanitation Day, urging MMDAs, Zoomlion and other stakeholders to join efforts in the campaign.
“Saturday, 29th May, 2021 is set as the Northern Regional Sanitation Day and it is my expectation that, all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana and all parties will carry out community mobilizations to embark on clean-up exercises in all major communities in all district across the region. Zoomlion Ghana will assist in making available all required implements to ensure the success of the exercise. We also expect all Hon. MMDCEs to engage with traditional rulers, religious leader, market women, GPRTU, youth groups, political parties, opinion leaders and all other stakeholders to get them on board for the success of the exercise. No group should be left out”, he urged.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu also announced that the last Saturday of every month has also been declared a Sanitation Day.
“I will like to use this opportunity to also announce the declaration of the last Saturday of every month as Northern Region Sanitation Day. I entreat members of the Sanitation Committee to work out modalities to sustain the day as such. It is my hope that, all members of the Committee will attach all seriousness required for this task assigned them. I will like to make a special appeal to our Chiefs, Religious Leaders, Opinion Leaders, Youth Groups, Market women and all concerned, to add their voices and commitment to ensure the success of the exercise on 29th May, 2021 and, the subsequent sanitation days as pronounced to curtail the outbreak of diseases most especially, cholera, typhoid fever, malaria, etc.”
By SavannahNewsOnline.Com/Philip Liebs
