Majority Leader Calls for Increased Funding for Sanitation Infrastructure The Majority Leader, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, has called on Parliament to ensure adequate budgetary support for the ministry responsible for sanitation to enable it to construct and maintain essential sanitation infrastructure across the country. Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Hon. Ayariga said sanitation infrastructure development cannot be the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government or the various District Assemblies, which clearly lack the capacity to invest in large-scale public infrastructure. He stressed that Parliament must advocate for sufficient budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Works and Housing, which oversees public works, to enable it to construct the needed sanitation facilities in densely populated municipalities and provide additional resources for their effective management. He added that although the committee’s report raised numerous critical issues, he would not ad

Minority Chief Whip Calls for Mandatory Waste Separation and Decommissioning of Landfills The Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri Constituency and Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s waste management system, particularly in the area of waste separation. Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Hon. Annoh-Dompreh said he would limit his contribution to a specific portion of the report, focusing on waste segregation. He noted that in most parts of the world, waste is separated at the source, adding that it appears to be only in Africa, and Ghana in particular, that waste separation is treated as a challenge. He explained that biodegradable waste can easily be separated from non-biodegradable waste, yet this basic practice is not being followed in the country. According to him, in other jurisdictions there are designated containers for biodegradable waste, which marks the starting point of proper waste processing. He stressed that w

*Revolutionary Change Needed to Tackle Sanitation Challenges in Ghana - Second Deputy Minority Whip* Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib, Member of Parliament for Weija Gbawe Constituency and Second Deputy Minority Whip, has attributed Ghana's sanitation crisis to a poor mindset, saying people litter and dump refuse into drains with impunity, posing a risk to public health. Speaking in Parliament, Hon. Shaib emphasized the need for a "revolutionary education" on health and the environment, citing instances of poor sanitation practices, including in the capital, Accra, where Metropolitan Assemblies are understaffed, with some sub-districts being run by unqualified staff. Hon. Shaib also raised concerns about the non-payment of sanitation workers, some of whom have not been paid for up to nine months, and called for the recruitment of more staff, better pay, and improved working conditions. Additionally, he suggested that the sanitation sector should be opened up to more companies to promote com

*Ghana's Sanitation Crisis: Committee Sounds Alarm on Inadequate Environmental Health Workers* The Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources has presented a dire report to Parliament, highlighting the country's critical shortage of environmental health workers. Presenting the report, Chairperson Hon. John Kwabena Bless Oti stated that the committee's visit to five regions revealed a stark reality, with one environmental health worker handling over 8,000 people, far exceeding the WHO standard of one worker to 700 people. The committee found that almost all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) lack technical staff, with inadequate environmental service staffing being a major challenge. Hon. Oti emphasized that the situation is "terrible" and requires urgent attention. Hon. John Kwabena Bless Oti, has called on the government to post environmental service graduates across the country to address the critical shortage of environmental health workers. Speaking in