The Wa Municipality might soon be engulfed in filth if quick steps are not taken to ensure the preparation of a proposed engineered landfill site at Kperisi, a community in the Municipality.
Earlier this year, it was agreed that the Wa Municipal Assembly will by December 31, vacate the old dump site located at Siriyiri in the Wa West District.
With just about 40 days to the deadline, work is still yet to begin on the proposed new site.
Speaking to Radio Ghana at Wa, the Wa Municipal Environmental Health officer, Paul Baba Mornah said after the set date, whether the new landfill site is ready or not, the Wa Municipal Assembly will have to fulfill its part of the agreement leaving the fate of waste that will be collected within the period undecided.
The Wa Municipal Assembly currently dumps its solid waste at Siiriyiri, a community in the Wa West District.
The dump site initially had engineered ponds that were used to collect liquid waste dislodged from homes in the municipality but along the line, the facility broke down compelling the Assembly to discharge the liquid waste directly into the environment in some communities.
Currently, the Assembly dumps only solid waste at the site with its attendant health implications.
As a result of health threats, the Siiyiri community agitated for the relocation of the site, hence the agreement to develop a new engineered site.
According to the Wa Municipal Environmental Health officer, Paul Baba Mornah the Assembly quickly secured about 60 acres of land Kperisi adding that “all things being equal, we will have a liquid waste management side where we would create ponds to dump liquid waste. There should be a grader so that when you dump [solid waste] you can spread and cover for subsequent ones”.
Mr. Mornah, said worked on the parcel of land was delayed by heavy rains. He however mentioned that if the site is still not developed, the Municipal still has no choice but to move out of Siiriyi saying “initially it was an engineered landfill [old dump site at Siiriyir] where we had solid waste and liquid waste. There were ponds for us to dump [liquid waste]. The system has broken down and that is why they said we should not even dump after the 31st December.”
Mr. Mornah said the Municipal Assembly is in talks with Zoomlion to transform the old site into a recycling plant.
“The old one, we are negotiating with Wa West [District Assembly]. Zoomlion is saying they want to give us a recycling plant for waste. But because of lack of resources, they want two districts to come together to have it. In that one [proposed recycling plant], all sorts of waste would be segregated. We would have the metals, the bottles and the garbage would now be used as compost”.
On Open Defecation (OD), Mr. Mornah appealed for logistical support to allow the environmental health officers execute their duties effectively.
He said Environmental Health and Sanitation Officers are coming with more innovative strategies to deal with OD. Mr Mornah admitted that the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) model does not suit urban areas like the Wa Township.
As part of moves to ensure Municipal wide Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, the Wa MEHO said taskforces would soon be revitalized and equipped to work and enforce the sanitation by-laws.
The outfit will also work with the Ghana Water Company Limited and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) to deny basic amenities to new properties owners who refuse to include toilet facilities in the building plans.
Story filed by Mark Smith
