The Director of Public Health at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Florence Kuukyi, has sounded an alarm over Accra’s worsening sanitation crisis, warning that the growing levels of filth pose a serious threat to public health and air quality.
She cautioned that poor sanitation is fueling outbreaks of cholera and other diseases, while also contributing heavily to air pollution in the city.
Quoting recent data, Ms. Kuukyi revealed that more than 28,000 people die in Ghana each year due to air pollution, the equivalent of one death every 19 minutes.
Describing the situation as “deeply troubling,” she urged swift, coordinated action from government agencies, private waste management companies, and residents to prevent a full-blown health crisis.
“This is leading to several diseases not only diarrhea and typhoid, but it’s also affecting the air we breathe. Studies show that over 28,000 Ghanaians die prematurely every year due to air pollution,” she said.
Ms. Kuukyi emphasised that sanitation is a shared responsibility, not one that rests solely with the government.
“In Ghana, we operate a ‘polluter pays’ system, those who generate waste must pay for its disposal. Unfortunately, many people refuse to take responsibility and expect the government to handle everything,” she explained.
She appealed to residents to take personal responsibility for the waste they produce and to work with sanitation authorities to make Accra cleaner, healthier, and safer for all.
