Editorial
Let’s make Accra the cleanest city in Africa
Dear Editor,
Sanitation in Accra has become a pressing topic over the years.
Accra was previously a very beautiful and attractive city in nature. People came from far and near to see the beauty of this wonderful city. It was a city enriched with Ghanaian culture which attracted both tourists and investors.
One may argue that some of the above mentioned qualities still hold, but then, these people are now greeted with heaps of rubbish and overflowing dustbins at bus stops, markets and all around the city.
Plastic and rubber bags dispersed along walkways and road sides. Gutters choked with rubbers and stagnant waters releasing bad and unpleasant smells polluting the air, making it uncomfortable to walk around the city and creating an unsafe atmosphere.
All these are caused by poor sanitation behaviours of the citizens. Littering around, dumping of waste material in gutters which gets the choked.
These activities also cause floods during the rainy season. Stagnant waters also breeds mosquitoes which leads to malaria outbreaks. Other diseases like cholera and diarrhea are also caused by these.
The government over the years has put in place measures to turn the situation around.
Apart from the government’s manifesto promise in 2017 to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa, there have been several campaigns and awareness creation to stem the tide.
In March 2022, the former minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah launched a bio-digester construction to help increase the number of toilets in the country.
Non-governmental organizations like Water Aid have also contributed to making Accra very clean.
Groups like the Bus Stop boys have organised clean up exercises to make the city clean.
There is also the Clean Ghana Sanitation Project which is committed to providing portable toilet facilities and sanitation services to low income residents in Ghana.
The question, therefore, is when this agenda would be achieved.
It all boils down to the citizens. We all have to make up our minds to come together and restore the true identity of Accra. Let’s make it the once beautiful city we knew.
Eunice Tetteh
tetteheunice246@gmail.com
University of Media Arts and Communication-Institute of Journalism
UNIMAC-IJ (Faculty of Journalism)
NAASHORMEYCHRISTABEL@GMAIL. COM
Editorial
Free sanitary pads distribution a game-changer
Dear Editor,
I wish to use your medium to commend the government of John Dramani Mahama for implementing the bold government policy to provide sanitary pads free of charge for girls.
The National Sanitary Pad Distribution Programme is one that will end the trend where young girls miss school during their menstruation periods because their parents cannot afford sanitary pads.
This is a clear interpretation of the president’s call to create and share the national resources.
The use of sanitary pads is seen in certain quarters as a preserve for the well-to-do in society. In some societies, it is pathetic seeing girls of menstruation age use old-fashioned methods to manage it.
For health and safety reasons, it is important to make sure that our girls are provided with decent material to manage their flows in comfortable and convenient ways.
The project marks an end to the era where mothers provide their daughters with cloth and tissue.
Without doubt, buying sanitary pads for two or three daughters or female relations staying with you can be very challenging sometimes due to the harsh economic conditions.
But this policy is a game-changer. What it means is that the cost has been taken by government.
For some of us parents, it is one of the ways to directly enjoy the little taxes we pay. I say well done to the government and hope that more of such social interventions would be rolled out to make life comfortable for the ordinary Ghanaian.
Lady Akushika,
Amanfrom
Editorial
Shedding light on Camara, a growing but overlooked suburb in Dansoman
Dear Editor,
I write to use your respected platform to bring attention to Camara, a small but growing suburb tucked within the Dansoman area of Accra.
For many, the name ‘Camara’ may not ring a bell and that is exactly the problem.
Though we are part of the vibrant Dansoman community, Camara is often forgotten when it comes to development, infrastructure, and public services.
This is a neighbourhood filled with potential: families, students, small businesses, and workers who contribute daily to Accra’s social and economic life.
Yet our roads remain untarred, streetlights and public facilities are few.
Security has become a growing concern, especially in the poorly lit areas.
Making Camara known is not about gaining attention for its own sake. It is about ensuring that we benefit from the development efforts enjoyed by other townships.
We need Proper street naming and signage to officially recognize the area, inclusion in municipal development plans, installation of streetlights and improved security patrols, road infrastructure and sanitation improvements, opportunities for youth engagement and education.
We deserve to be seen, heard, and supported. I appeal to urban planners, and the wider community to recognize Camara as part of the future of Dansoman.
Eugene Ampiaw,
Camara
