Rainfall and the Spread of Diseases

By Augustina Brown

Flood on our roads make it difficult for people to use the roads

Ghana has recorded a whole lot of cases in relation to floods which have claimed some lives, destroyed properties and rendered thousands homeless. 


This case is being taken care of by the National Disaster and Management Organization (NADMO) as well as some security forces and the individual Ghanaian.

Our attention have been shifted to the flood and what they are causing in our communities, but have we sat to ask ourselves what this rain is causing in our communities apart from destroying properties, claiming lives and rendering people homeless?

We are aware of the recent floods in some of our communities caused by the heavy downpour. 


The question is; is the rain causing only floods in our country?

The heavy downpour has resulted in the spread of different water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, dysentery and even malaria.

Looking around our communities and towns, it could be seen clearly that the whole place looks nasty and dirty with refuse.

These refuse are washed from different towns and communities and they end up on our roads, in our gutters and even our various homes. There is the inability of sunshine to dry these refuse, so they cannot be burnt.

Our water bodies have been chocked with lots of refuse and have become very difficult for human consumption.

The downpour which causes flood, flows on our roads, gutters and various communities including our homes with refuse which chocks at particular places where mosquitoes breed and ends up in the spread of malaria.

Does that mean we Ghanaians do not burn our refuse in our various homes? Or do those refuse come from our dumping sites? What are the Zoom lion and other bodies that make sure the country looks clean doing about this situation. What do they do with the refuse they collect from our various homes?

We are all aware that refuse collected from our homes by the Zoom lions and others are not burnt but are rather gathered at certain places. 


A typical example is the Oblongo dumping sites where refuse are dumped there and people residing at the same place. What happens to these people in this rainy season?

Malaria has been the increased sickness spread during the rainy season and Ghana is witnessing a whole lot this rainy season.

Malaria is transmitted throughout Ghana and the entire population is at risk. Malaria is a major cause of mobility and mortality directly contributing to poverty, low productivity and reduced school attendance.

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), between 3.1 and 3.5 million cases of clinical malaria are reported each year and about 900,000 of these cases are children less than five years of age.

Another is the use of chemicals by farmers, factories and the individual. This act contributes greatly to the increase in the spread of diseases when it rains because the water flows along with those chemicals and enters or pollutes our rivers, ponds, lakes, lagoons as well as the sea which serves as major source of fish and drinking water. People who drink or eat from these sources become victims of some water-borne diseases.

Oils and other chemicals from automobile exhaust on our various roads also contributes to water pollution during the rainy season and are washed into our various water bodies and farms and help in the spread of diseases both from the water and farm produce. This could also result in low productivity in the country.

Our farmers are also contributing to the spread of diseases from our water bodies because of the use of animal wastes used in their farm for fertilizers. 


Animal wastes are washed from farms in the rainy season and ends up in our rivers and streams, ground water and even some coastal waters where people get their water from.

Not only do rain wash away animal waste, but also waste of some Ghanaians who have cultivated the habit of dumping human excreta in and around our various water bodies contribute in the spread of diseases when they are washed into the rivers, lagoons, lakes and even the sea by the rain.

Places like the Kpeshie lagoon, Korle Lagoon and Odaw River all suburbs of Accra are typical example of places which has been turned into a dumping site for both refuse and human excreta. 


This has negative implication on the aquatic life of the lagoon as well as on migratory birds that find a haven within the environs of the lagoon.

Ghanaians must learn to do the right thing. Dumping of refuse must be done at correct places and they must be burnt all the time. 


The inability of refuse not being able to be burn is because of the increase number of plastics in the country.

We must learn to recycle our plastic wastes which are very difficult to be burnt. 


Refuse in our various homes must also be burnt to help make the work of government bodies whose job is to make sure the country is free from dirt, very easier.

We should learn to keep our communities clean and free from dirt especially this rainy season because the spread of diseases is very high during rainy seasons.

Achimota Forest Reserve to be Renovated

Report: Augustina Brown

Mr. Brown, District Manager of the Forest
Service Division, Achimota

The Board of the Forestry Commission (FC) of the Achimota Forest reserve in Accra has declared a renewed commitment to the development and promotion of wildlife resources with a view to making the sector more relevant to national development aspirations.

Some of the practical measures that would give real meaning to this commitment would include the development of their wildlife Protected Areas and some selected forest reserves possessing the necessary features and attributes into ecotourism hotspots through sound investment decisions.

Again, the project will provide a great opportunity to demonstrate to the political leadership, the business community and the Ghanaian public that eco-tourism is a viable, environmentally-friendly, money-churning venture worthy of investment.

The new name “Accra Eco-park”, which will replace the current name has been deliberately chosen for purposes of name-recognition and easy identification especially for potential international/non-Ghanaian visitors, and that the ‘Accra Eco-park’ project according to the Board of FC will be implemented within the Achimota Forest Reserve.

The Achimota Forest Reserve is situated in a highly strategic location in the City of Accra, both in terms of accessibility and potential for ecotourism. It lies adjacent to the south end of the Achimota School and to the Southwest of the University of Ghana, running parallel to the Accra-Tema motorway extension.

Speaking to the District Manager at the Regional Office of the Forest Service Division, Mr. Felix Brown, he said the Achimota forest reserve has been identified as a reserve with outstanding potential for ecotourism and there are plans to develop it into an ecological theme park to be named the Accra Eco-park.

According to him, the specific objective of the project is to develop the Achimota Eco-Park into a leading destination of choice for eco-tourism experience in the West Africa sub-region.

Benefits of the Project
“The project will include infrastructure of the Accra Eco-Park designed and developed by 2012, Business strategy for Accra Eco-park developed and 1200 jobs generated at the developmental stage of the project and 500 jobs generated when Eco-park is fully operational”, he added.

The District Manager said the successful implementation of the project will serve as a showcase to demonstrate that ecotourism can be employed as a conservation tool that can co-exist in harmony with business motives and goals, without compromising the ecosystem values of the forest.

“The project would on completion add onto the list of flagship ecotourism products that the FC has contributed to the tourism and outdoor recreation industry in Ghana such as the Kakum National Park which is home to the famed Canopy Walkway, the Mole National Park and the Shai Hills Resource Reserve”, he added.

Mr. Brown noted that the park will have to cope with severe encroachment pressures from would-be property developers and “squatters” who are mainly artisans such as mechanics and petty traders plying their business around the park.

“The pressure is most likely going to escalate in the coming years as a result of the fast-increasing value of the area due to on-going commercial developments such as shopping malls, hotels and office buildings”, he said.

Background of Achimota Forest Reserve
The Achimota Forest Reserve was gazetted in July 1930 and the purpose for its establishment was to create a green buffer between the Achimota School and the City of Accra and also to provide cheap fuel for the school kitchen. 


Years later the reserve went through changes in terms of its management objectives, from nature reserve through recreation park to nature study facility for children, students and researchers.

The current size of the park is 360 ha, having over the years lost a sizable portion of the original area to various national development projects such as the establishment of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, the construction of the Tema Motorway Extension and the laying of water pipes to serve some communities in the Accra metropolis.

At present, there is an arboretum and a wildlife rescue centre where some animals dislodged from the former Accra Zoo have been placed. 


The Achimota Park is heavily patronized by various church groups, with an average annual visitation of 20,000 and gate proceeds of GH¢ 60,000 per annum.

Gospel music is not a genre of music – Ekow Briandt

Ekow Briandt

Ekow Briandt, an upcoming gospel musician has said the world acclaimed form of music, gospel, that seeks to echo the word of God is not a genre of music unlike Reggae, Hiphop, R&B, Jazz etc.

The young musician speaking in an interview with Myjoyonline.com Friday said that type of music can be found in all the above mentioned genres of music and it is the message the song carries that makes it gospel music.

This, he said is the reason why we hear people sing gospel music with a reggae, R&B, jazz and hiphop beat, “Gospel music is not tagged as a genre of music. 


It is the message in the song that makes it gospel music. You can sing gospel on reggae, jazz, R&B, hiphop and hiphop,” he said.

Ekow is not new to the music industry; he started some five years ago under the name Jay E singing hiplife (rap) music. 


He said his songs had clean lyrics (motivational message) and it generally touched on social life, education, HIV/AIDS etc.

He recorded songs like Ghana Mma, Abrabo, Car eye Machine, The innocent Boy with AIDSand others between 2005 and 2006.

Those songs did not make any impact in the Ghanaian music scene and he attributes that situation to the fact that he was not ready for the music market yet.

Ekow took some time off after those 'unsuccessful' years to school at the University of Ghana were he did Diploma in Social Administration.

Now, he says he is ready and back for good as he warms up to release his first gospel album You are Worthy O Lord on December 5.

The 10-track album he said, came as an inspiration and it is his way of worshiping and thanking God for his numerous blessings and mercies.

The album has easily acceptable songs such as Good is Good, Madzie Oyi, Da Onyame Ase, Som Nyame Yie and the title track You are Worthy O Lord.

The album recorded under his own record label, Reality Entertainment Factory, features Christian (of Stars of the Future/Project Fame fame) and it will be launched at the Immanuel Methodist Church, Rigemannel Estates, East Airport in Accra.

Artistes gracing that launch will include Christian, Tina Asante, Martin Hayford and the Talents of Immanuel Methodist Church of which he is a member.

Ekow was born in Accra and hails from Osu-Blogodo. When he was 12, he moved to Sunyani were he spent 10 years pursuing primary and secondary school education.

He said one unique thing about the album is that, it is not one way and it cuts across all forms of music. “It has some dynamism that cuts across. 


It transcends all forms of music. It is not one way and it is strictly gospel.”

Ekow disclosed that he personally produced and engineered all the songs on the album. “I produced and engineered every song on the album. I also used live instruments – guitar and keyboard.”



source: myjoyonline.com

Kasoa Youth Goes to Shai Hills

By Augustina Brown

Mr. Bentsil lecturing the youth about the forest reserve

Youth of the St. Martha’s Parish, Kasoa in the Archdiocese of Cape Coast and its outstations recently organized a trip to Shai Hills Resource Reserve in Doryumu in the Dangme West District. 

The trip was organized as part of this year’s programme drawn by the Parish Youth Council.

Briefing the group about the background of the place, the Technical Assistant to Wildlife, Mr. Simon Bentsil said, the size of the reserve is 52km² and it is about 17km from Accra, the regional capital.

He said there are five hills and the highest is 290m, and that the hills take up 20% of the reserve. 


He continued that the reserve consists of a very striking and attractive range of rocky hills set in the middle of expansive open and wooded grassland plain.

According to him, the animals and birds in the reserve live in their natural environment, adding that apart from the reserve being used as a tourist centre, other features found in the reserve are the Ancestral caves where ancestral people of the area hid in during wars in the olden days, Ancestral reversed shrine of the Dangme Shai people where sacrifices are made every year and Dams.

On the other hand, the Parish Youth President, Mr. Paul Kakra Daniel said the trip was organized to strengthen unity among the youth of the Catholic Church. 


He thanked the individuals and the officials of the resource reserve for participating in the trip and helping them know much about the reserve respectfully.

The group had the experience to walk through the forest reserve to see the caves, baboons, bats and the Ancestral shrine which was part of their trip to the place.

Present during the trip was the Assistant Parish Priest and Youth Patron, Rev. Fr. Thomas Abakah and youth from the St. Joseph the Worker, Nyanyano-Kakraba, St. Peter’s, Nyanyano, Annunciation of the Lord, Opeikuma and St. John the Baptist, Akweley.

More Photos

The Youth walked through the bushes to get to the hill.
It was hectic walking to the hill but they all tried their best to reach there.

One of the baboons we met at Shai Hills
where some of the youth tried to give them bananas

The Youth really had fun when they were returning.
The Youth President, Mr. Paul Daniel was not left out

The youth President, Paul Kakra Daniel with his friends

The Youth President and other youth trying to pass under one of the caves
to get to the Hill 

Fuel Price to go up next week with 20%

Information reaching newsmen indicates that the ex-pump prices of fuel would see an upward adjustment across the country by next week. 

This increment would further worsen the plight of the Ghanaian who is already saddled with the added burden of freshly announced tax hikes contained in the 2011 budget. 

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is set to increase fuel prices by 20% as a result of hikes in crude oil prices on the world market. 


A barrel of crude oil is currently selling at $85.17. 

The impending price increases brings to question the NDC government's decision to hedge the purchase of the country's crude oil as experts have raised questions over the negative cost implications associated with such a transaction. 

It can be recalled that on the 25 th of August 2010, the Mills-Mahama led NDC Government decided to hedge the purchase of the country's crude oil on the world market. 


This followed recommendations by a Cabinet Committee charged to work out arrangements for the hedging of the country's crude oil purchases. 

The decision to hedge was expected to insulate the country from crude oil price volatility on the international market and Government is estimated to have spent between $30 to $60 million to finance the whole hedging arrangement. 

At the time government decided to hedge, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, an economist, said “Hedging is a risky business and as such the government has to tread carefully since the nation could lose several millions of cedis.” 

In October 2010, experts at the World Bank/IMF annual meeting warned that Ghana's decision to hedge a barrel of oil at $82.50 for the next six to 12 months could have dire consequences on the fragile economy. 

They were of the opinion that if the government hedged the price of oil at $82.50 per month for the next six to 12 months, then Ghana could lose as much as $45 million for 2011. 

The $45 million that the government was likely to lose to hedging was about a quarter of the total budgetary allocation for the agric sector for 2010, which stands at GH¢256,321,495. 

Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Head of Research at the Danquah Institute, when contacted by The Statesman wondered what the point of hedging was. He said “The Government and National Petroleum Authority should explain to us why Ghana is losing money on hedging”. 

Aside the 20% increment next week, the ex-pump price of fuel will see an upward adjustment by an extra six (6) pesewas next year because of the 400% rise in TOR Debt Recovery levy announced by the Dr. Kwabena Duffuor as he read the 2011 budget.

source: The Statesman

CEPS OFFICIAL DEFILES THREE CHILDREN

A Custom Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) official, Michael Kojo Brenuo Acquah has been arrested for allegedly defiling his two biological daughters and a son aged 16, 7 and three respectively.

Acquah, 34, according to prosecutors had multiple sexual encounters with his children in their rooms until November, 2010 when the victims reported their ordeal to their mother.

Prosecutors said the last time the accused person had sexual intercourse his 16 year old daughter was November 11, 2010 adding that it was the abuse of his three-year-old son who later reported to his mother that led to the arrest of Acquah after she (Acquah’s wife) had confronted the accused person.

The facts of the case which was presented by the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mrs. Georgina Acquah said, the victims and accused person lived at Banana Inn, a suburb of Accra, adding that some few months ago the three-year-old boy complained that his father had been constantly massaging his buttocks, resulting in pain.

According to the ASP, the accused person got offended and resorted to insults when his wife confronted him over the incident. 


In ensuing confrontation, the 16-year-old girl was said to have told her mother that Acquah had had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions and threatened to send her to the village to live with her grandmother if she dared tell her mother about her ordeal.

The seven-year-old girl, according to Mrs. Acquah also told her mother that the accused person had defiled her which made the mother of the victims report to the police where medical forms were issued to the victims to attend hospital for examination.

Acquah was later arrested after the medical reports had revealed that his daughters had been defiled.

CHRAJ condemn calls for Kombian to be killed

Hannah Bosman

The Deputy Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ms. Anna Bossman has described as disappointing the mounting public demand for suspected robber and killer Johnson Kombian, to be killed without trial.

According to Miss Bossman, the citizenry ought to abide by the Rule of Law Ghana has subscribed to and allow Kombian his constitutionally guaranteed right to a free trial.

Since Kombian’s arrest, a cross-section of Ghanaians have suggested that he is killed by firing squad. Even his brother, has suggested that Kombian's hands must be chopped off.

Speaking to Citi News, Miss Bossman explained that there is no such thing as killing extra judicially so far as Ghana is under the Rule of Law.

The three-time jail breaker, who is alleged to have killed two policemen and wounded another at Nakpanduri in October 2010, has been charged with Escape from Lawful Custody, contrary to Section 226 of Act 29/60.

He has been remanded in custody and will reappear in Circuit Court 1, presided over by Eric Kyei Baffour on December 8, 2010.

His lawyer George Asumaning told Citi News his clients’ human rights have been violated by the police, breaching the constitution which protects the fundamental human rights of citizens.

Ms. Anna Bossman bemoaned the report explaining that once Kombian is in the hands of the Police, there was no need for him to be brutalized.

“It’s a bit disappointing that people sometimes forget that we are in a State of Rule of Law and that in actual fact, when we call for the killing of anyone whether or not they are criminals without going through the due process, then it’s really an indictment on us as a people. 


This Gentleman is alleged to be dangerous but the point has to be made that once he has been arrested he is no longer a threat"

Miss Bossman also reminded those calling for Kombian to be killed without a trial that all Ghanaians are equal before the law and Kombian like any other person, deserves same.

“There is no different law for anybody. We are all under the same law and we should be happy with that. There are some amongst us who may even be worse than Kombian. 


But luckily for us in Ghana, we are all under the same law so we shall all go through the same procedures and be given a fair trial” she emphasized.



source: ghanaweb.com

Dangers of Sending Children Home for Fees

By Augustina Brown

It is the dream of every parent to have his or her child in school. It is also their dream to see their ward become someone great in future. 


But how do they fulfill this dream when they are not well to do or do not have the money to take their children to school?

We are all aware of the huge amount of money some parents have to pay especially when their wards are in the private schools. Some parents are not able to pay their children’s fees even when they are in the public school because of one problem or the other. 

Mr. Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education

What would the school authorities do when they meet challenges like this? What are parents also doing to make sure their children are not sent home for their inability to pay their fees?

Most schools are in their mid-term while others have already returned from their mid-term holidays and are preparing towards their end of term examination. 


Notices are given to parents before the mid-term holidays to make full payment of their wards’ school fees before the end of the term, but most pupils or students will not be able to finish paying their fees and this is the time students are beaten and sent home from school until they finish paying the rest of their fees.

The question then is; will beating and sending the children home make them pay the fees? The children are not responsible for paying their fees, so why should they suffer the consequences? Most teachers give their reason as, ‘the children will remind their parents of their fees when they feel the pains from the beatings or are made to go home for their fees during school hours’.

What if their parents do not get the money to make full payment of the fees, will the children continue to face those punishments all alone? It’s funny though, but why won’t the authorities of the schools beat the parents rather for their inability to pay their children’s fees? Why the children?

It is true that the Ghanaian child will not do the right thing until the cane is used but does the beating solve the problems. 


Ghanaian children have become used to the canes and do not do the right thing until they see a teacher or master with a cane. 


They even wait to feel the touch of the cane on their bodies before they do the right thing.

Sending children home for their school fees make their parents dip their hands into their pockets to bring out everything in it to pay their wards’ fees. 


It makes the parents alert on issues concerning their wards in terms of paying their fees, buying of their books and paying for their canteen, but have the school authorities thought of the dangers the children are exposed to when they are sacked home for their fees?

Parents must know that it is their responsibility to ensure that their children have quality education and it is the right of the child to go to school. 


While some parents try their possible best in making sure that their children get the best of tuition, others do not find it necessary sending their children to school and paying their fees even when they have the money to do that. 


They take their children to school because they have to be there, but paying for their fees and other things do not become a bother to them. So how do parents feel when their children are sent home for their fees?

Children sacked from schools use their time for things which will not be beneficial to them, their family and the nation as a whole. 


Some of them end up on the street using their money given to them by their parents to play games and wait until school time is over so they can join their friends to go back to their various homes while others become drop-out when their parents find it difficult paying their fees.

Some children do not only become drop-out when their parents find it difficult paying their fees, but because they feel shy to be among their peers when they have to be sacked almost everyday for their fees. 


This is one reason for the increase in child streetism in the country of late.

It is so sad to see children walking up and down the streets during school hours because they have been sent home for the rest of their fees. 


These children are sometimes knocked down by vehicles when they have to cross the road before reaching their various destinations.

Just recently in Kasoa in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region, an eight year old class three pupil in one of the well-known schools in the community was knocked down by a taxi on his way home after he had been sacked for fees. It was fortunate the little boy was not hurt. This and other dangerous incidents happen mostly in our communities.

Who would be blamed if the boy had died or seriously injured - The school authorities for sending the boy home for fees, or the parents for not paying their child’s fees, or is it the boy for not reminding his parents to pay his fees or is the taxi driver’s fault for not being careful while driving? Who is to blame?

Some children end up at the sea shore, market places and others places gallivanting aimlessly and playing among themselves on dangerous roads when they are sent home for not making full payment of their fees.

Sending children or students home for their school fees will not only solve the problems but will expose them to some dangers. School authorities must find some measures in making sure that parents pay their wards fees before the end of the term. 


This will help both the child and school and even save the parents from the trouble of thinking of where and how they are going to pay their ward’s fees.

The school can make paying of children’s fees flexible and convenient for parents by giving them an amount to pay at the end of every week so they can be able to make the full payment of their wards’ fees before the term ends.

Another measure in making sure parents pay their wards fees or students reminding their parents of their fees is by not allowing them to be in the classroom, but staying outside the classroom on the school compound like some schools have been doing. This will prevent the students from taking part in class activities. 


It will also make them remind their parents of their school fees because they wouldn’t want to go to school and sit outside their classrooms while their colleagues stay in the classrooms learning.

We should all know that giving our children the best of education will enable them become someone great in future to benefit both our family and Mother Ghana. 


Let us all try to understand the value of education. Children are the future leaders of our country and without education, there will be no future for them.

Save the Kpeshie Lagoon

By Augustina Brown

The Kpeshie Lagoon

In the outskirt of Ghana’s capital city is a town called La, which most people call “Labadi”, a beautiful town which has beautiful and attractive hotels, beach resorts, a trade fair centre, schools, well tiled roads and a number of projects which would are yet to be constructed. The town has a population of 387,013 according to 2000 Population and Housing Census.  


The major economic activities in the District are fishing, carpentry especially in the Teshie community and commercial transportation. 

In this town is the Kpeshie District which covers the La, Teshie and Nungua townships in Accra.  Other areas are Cantonments, Burma Camp, Airport, Spintex road and Maritime Academy.

Again, this District has a lagoon called the KPESHIE LAGOON which covers a relatively small catchment area of 110km². It is bounded on the east by the Military Academy at Teshie, on the North by a line south of Madina and Ajirignano. It also covers the eastern part of Accra, Ridge, Cantonments, Osu, La and Burma Camp areas.

This town has all the above few listed beautiful things, but one major problem of the people of La is the inability to take care of the only lagoon that provides them with food and job. It is so surprising that this lagoon which helps the people of La economically is not well taken care of.

Residents in and around the Kpeshie lagoon, have developed the habit of dumping human excreta and solid wastes into the lagoon. This practice has negative implication on the aquatic life of the lagoon as well as on migratory birds that find a haven within the environs of the lagoon.

Again the impact this will have on the plantation within the catchment area of the lagoon cannot be over emphasized. The lagoon is filled with waste products and it stinks so much that it will have a greater effect on the individual. 


The whole situation about activities done in and around the Kpeshie Lagoon is so appalling but it seems there is no support to stop these practices.

Why must we find most of our water bodies which provides us with food, heavily chocked with refuse and other human excreta? What do we gain from polluting our own rivers, lakes, lagoons and even the sea? What is the purpose of these water bodies to us and why must we preserve them?

A view of the lagoon reveals the dire degradation the lagoon had to suffer over the years, with unauthorized structures which were demolished recently, and farms springing up on the reclaimed land as well as the refuse dump sited on it. 


Also, the road on the bank of the lagoon which is under-construction is filled with red soil and this makes the whole place muddy and filled with flood during a downpour.

Another activity going on is that the bank of the lagoon has been turned into a fitting shop with dirty water, detergents and engine oil from cars flowing directly into the stream, resulting in the pollution of the Kpeshie lagoon.

The lagoon is currently heavily silted and polluted with solid waste such as domestic refuse and discarded solid materials such as those from commercial, industrial and agricultural operations. 


However, in the past it served as a major fishing ground for the local fishermen.

Somewhere in 2007, the Lagoon was reported to be degrading rapidly and some portions its mangrove were being reclaimed by some encroachers for residential and business development purposes. 


The practice of dumping refuse and solid waste substances started somewhere in 2005 during the rehabilitation of the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium and the construction of the Presidential Palace where contractors found it convenient to dump debris into the lagoon.

Although solid wastes can be properly treated before disposal, solid waste problems arise from rapid increase of human population, rapid advance in technology and social attitudes.

We must all know that solid waste pose a serious threat because the leach from it remain in place for a relatively longer period of time unless removed, burnt or otherwise destroyed. 


The disposal of solid waste in open dumps and burning of such solid waste is the most common solid waste disposal method in Ghana but this must not be the best thing to do.

I believe strongly that these activities done in most of our water bodies began after the introduction of the "Pay as you dump" refuse system by our Assemblies. 


Can everybody afford for the money taken before refuse is dumped? Though the money taken is seen as moderate for everyone, can everyone afford to pay every day? What then should be the best way to ensure that residents in and around the Kpeshie Lagoon do the right thing at the right time and at the right place?

Ghanaians must understand that, the money taken from them, are used in paying those who have taken responsibility in collecting and burning our refuse or wastes. 


If money is not taken from them, how can those workers be paid and motivated to continue with their job? How would those people take care of themselves as well as their family?

The best thing to stop the practice of dumping refuse and wastes into the Kpeshie lagoon which serves as a source of water and food to the people of La and its environs is by Chiefs, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Town and Country Planning Department providing the town with waste bins. 


These waste bins must be enough to enable everyone have the chance of dumping refuse and also making sure that these waste bins are emptied at least every two days.

By so doing, the Kpeshie Lagoon would be saved from waste and it will maintain its natural state. 


Also, a law must be passed to fine or arrest anyone who dumps refuse into any water bodies found in the country. This law must be strictly adhered to.

Let us all try our possible best to save our water bodies; they are very important to us.