Dr. Justice Aduko, a lecturer and Project Manager of Blue Deal Ghana at the Water Resources Commission in the Upper East Region, has expressed deep concern over what he describes as Ghana’s “deplorable” sanitation situation.
Speaking on A1 Radio following the recent National Sanitation Day exercise, Dr. Aduko lamented the worsening state of sanitation across the country and called for a renewed sense of collective responsibility among citizens.
“The sanitation situation in Ghana is very deplorable. It is very bad, and it’s something that we all have to wake up and take collective action against,” he said.
According to him, plastic waste—particularly sachet water rubbers and bottles—has become a common sight across many communities, making “the whole country look nasty.”
Dr. Aduko recalled a time when citizens willingly came together to clean their surroundings but observed that such communal spirit has faded.
“There was a time people came out in their numbers to clean their environments, but today, we don’t see that happening. People now think it’s the government’s responsibility to do everything, forgetting that the consequences of poor sanitation affect us directly,” he emphasized.
Commenting on the government’s sanitation efforts, he described the National Sanitation Day initiative as laudable, especially at a time when waste management challenges are escalating. However, he urged the government to intensify public engagement and adopt what he called “a real approach” to sanitation awareness.
“Poor sanitation is responsible for some of the highest disease burdens across the world, and it’s even worse in developing countries like Ghana. Diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, and typhoid are all sanitation-related. Records show that every hour, one person dies from poor sanitation-related illnesses,” Dr. Aduko noted.
He also urged authorities to localize sanitation campaigns to suit community schedules.
“Communities should be allowed to choose their own days for clean-up exercises—just as some southern communities have taboo days when people don’t go to farm or fish. This will encourage ownership and improve participation,” he suggested.
Dr. Aduko commended the inclusion of traditional leaders and assembly members in the recent exercise, describing it as a positive step toward strengthening community participation.
“Government has done well by involving traditional authorities, but there’s still the need for more engagement and awareness creation at the local level,” he concluded.
The recent National Sanitation Day saw various districts across the Upper East Region organize communal cleaning activities aimed at improving environmental hygiene and public health.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah| Bolgatanga
