The Director of Public Health at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Florence Kuukyi, has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating sanitation situation in Accra, warning that it poses a growing threat to public health.
She noted that the rising levels of filth across the city are fuelling outbreaks of cholera and other sanitation-related diseases while significantly worsening air quality.
Citing recent statistics, Ms. Kuukyi revealed that more than 28,000 people die in Ghana every year due to air pollution — the equivalent of one death every 19 minutes.
Describing the development as alarming, she called for urgent and coordinated action from government agencies, private waste management companies, and the public to address the sanitation crisis.
“This is leading to a number of diseases, not just diarrhoea and typhoid. It also affects the air we breathe. Studies show that in Ghana, over 28,000 people die prematurely every year due to air pollution. That means every 19 minutes, one person dies,” she said.
Ms. Kuukyi stressed that sanitation must be treated as a collective responsibility and not left to government alone.
“Sanitation in the country is a collective effort. Everyone has a role to play. In Ghana, we operate a ‘polluter pays’ system — those who generate waste must pay for its disposal. Unfortunately, many people generate waste but refuse to take responsibility, expecting the government to bear the cost,” she explained.
She urged residents to take personal responsibility for managing the waste they generate and to cooperate with city sanitation and environmental health officers to make Accra cleaner, safer, and healthier for all.
